JERUSALEM, February 12, 2018 (WAFA) – In a step seen as collective punishment due to stone throwing incidents against Israeli forces and settlers, the Israeli authorities closed late Sunday roads to the Jerusalem-area town of Hezma and Issawiyeh neighborhood.

Issawiyeh has been feeling the crunch of road closures for a while, disrupting life and movement of students to their schools. Residents have protested the Israeli punitive measures in their neighborhood, which the Israeli police said came as a result of youths throwing stones at its forces.

In Hezma, to the east of the city but outside its borders, the army first blocked two main entrances with cement cubes and then placed a huge metal gate to block its main entrance.

According to the town’s mayor, Samar Deifallah, the army has been conducting nightly raids of homes as well as detaining people, mainly the young ones.

She said the army carries out all these measures against her town claiming that youths throw stones at passing Israeli vehicles.

Deifallah said the town has 8000 residents who are suffering due to the collective Israeli punishment. Seven people from Hezma are serving between one to seven years in Israeli prison for resisting the occupation.

K.T./M.K