JERICHO, Sunday, April 9, 2023 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces this evening placed a flying military checkpoint at the northern entrance to the city of Jericho, the occupied West Bank, according to local sources.

Israeli soldiers stationed at the flying checkpoint stopped and searched Palestinian-registered vehicles, causing a heavy traffic jam.

Throughout the day, Israeli forces intensified their military presence and sealed off multiple checkpoints at various areas across the West Bank, including in Nablus and the northern and central Jordan Valley, as well as in Hebron, where Israeli forces closed all checkpoints and metal gates leading to the Ibrahimi mosque under the pretext of securing the entry of settlers to mark the Jewish holidays.

Israeli forces tonight also beefed up restrictions in and at the outskirts of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, raiding a number of towns and villages and placing several flying checkpoints, leading to confrontations at the entrance to Jaba’ town to the south. No injuries were reported. Forces stopped and checked the identity cards of Palestinians, causing traffic congestion in multiple areas.

Restricting movement is one of the main tools that Israel employs to enforce its regime of occupation over the Palestinian population in the Occupied Territories, stressed the Israeli information center for human rights in occupied territories, B’Tselem.

Palestinians’ freedom of movement in the Occupied Territories lies completely at the mercy of the state’s whims, the instructions given to soldiers at the local (DCO), and the way in which they implement them, said B’Tselem.

“This state of affairs forces Palestinians to live in constant uncertainty, making it difficult to perform simple tasks and make plans,” added the center.

T.R.