IDF bans Israelis from Palestinian villages along West Bank highway
Army takes narrowest possible interpretation of Supreme Court ruling to open road to all.
By Chaim LevinsonA new IDF decree bans Israelis from entering Palestinian villages along Route 443, despite these villages being located in Area C, which is under complete Israeli control.
The ban was announced yesterday by GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi. It joins other measures taken by the Central Command as the West Bank road is prepared to be opened to Palestinian traffic, in accordance with a Supreme Court verdict rendered earlier this year.
The Israel Defense Forces has decided to implement the narrowest conceivable interpretation of the verdict. For example, it is setting up much more meticulous checks along entries to the highway than those imposed on vehicles leaving Ramallah to travel on Route 60, the cross-West Bank highway used by Palestinians, settlers and Israelis.
The new decree bans Israelis from the villages and from side roads next to the highway - a contrast to the relatively open access to other Area C villages. A Haaretz check found that the ban is already being implemented, with soldiers at the checkpoints not allowing Israelis to pass through.
The IDF Spokesman's Office released the following statement: "Following the Supreme Court ruling, the defense establishment has worked to prepare opening Route 443 to Palestinian traffic. As part of these preparations, aimed at implementing the court ruling and answering the security risked entailed in opening the road, a number of entry and exit points were set up for the Palestinian residents. Given the security risk, it was decided to ban Israeli citizens from using them."
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Highway 443 in the Atarot area. |
| Photo by: Nir Kafri |
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"For example, it is setting up much more meticulous checks along entries to the highway than those imposed on vehicles leaving Ramallah to travel on Route 60, the cross-West Bank highway used by Palestinians, settlers and Israelis" In the eyes of Haaretz, apparently settlers are part of a different nation than Israelis.
Apartheid in reverse this time. Where is Jimmy Carter ans his gang?
Is Israel under martial law?
The area in question is technically part of Area C, which Israel treats as "occupied". Seeing that this is so, it is the Army that "occupies" the area, so the Army is the body that calls the shots, not the civilian authorities. Welcome to the Weird World that is Israel.
As far as I am aware, the only ::Israeli's" who would want to go to these villages are East Jerusalem Arabs who are not Israeli's but who drive Israeli registered cars. Convenient to call them Israeli's in this case I suppose,.
As far as I am aware, the only ::Israeli's" who would want to go to these villages are East Jerusalem Arabs who are not Israeli's but who drive Israeli registered cars. Convenient to call them Israeli's in this case I suppose,.
Other than maybe declaring an official military order to prevent Israelis from entering Area C villages along the road, Route 443 has been partially open since the 28th of May to Palestinian traffic, and since then they have never let Israelis enter the Area C villages. Are you just realizing this?
The IDF is preserving our security in the face of a leftist Supreme Court. Thank you, Soldiers.
If you knew how the soldiers treat all non-Jewish Israelis, I would hope you could not thank them, they are endangering you more than you know.
Not all Israelis are Jewish. Duh.
so many reasons... But Israeli SECURITY considerations/hangups will trump the desire for social interaction. Separation is not about being Anti Arab..but about being hung up (rightfully so???) on security.
and the ful, and other Pal delicacies and bargains in their market-places... and it's the best and cheapest place to find artisans and laborers for a few days work... nothing like the Pals, we couldn't live without them... just look at the burgeoning settlement building....
"It joins other measures taken by the Central Command as the West Bank road is prepared to be opened to Palestinian traffic," So, not so much with the "open" yet, heh?
wasn't it opened it with much fanfare a couple of weeks ago? Guess not! And the way things look it's usefulness for Palestinians will be extremely limited.
A reverse apartheid? I can't wait for the spin let's hear her
the land in question is in the west bank, not israel.
No, it is not against Jews, but against Palestinians. Logic of it is very simple: 1) Where is ban, there is need to control 2) Control = checkpoints 3) On checkpoinst can ivaders to stop all Palestinians, can humiliate them there, stop them there, detain them there 4) Final effect is, that not Jews will be banned of entry to Palestinian villages, but Palestinians will be banned from entry to "Rout 443" Do you understand yet?
Given that apartheid means "separateness" I don't think there is much spinning needed.
The idea must be that all The Land must become part of Israel.