JERUSALEM, September 17, 2025 (WAFA) – The Jerusalem Governorate said that Israel’s continued intensification of military checkpoints and iron gates surrounding Jerusalem and its suburbs is part of a systematic policy aimed at isolating the city from its Palestinian surroundings and subjecting its residents to a repressive regime of discrimination and segregation. The latest of these barriers were set up in the villages and towns of Mukhmas, ar-Ram, and al-Eizariya in the past three days, the governorate explained in a statement today.
The governorate cited recent figures from the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission showing that by mid-2025, Israel had established around 904 fixed checkpoints across the West Bank, including dozens of new gates installed at the entrances of Palestinian towns and villages.
Jerusalem and its suburbs accounted for about 88 of these gates, especially at the entrances of Qalandia, ar-Ram, Hizma, Anata, Mukhmas, al-Eizariya, and around Issawiya and Jabal al-Mukabber, in addition to permanent checkpoints at the gates of the Old City and the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The governorate emphasized that these policies constitute a blatant violation of the right to freedom of movement, as guaranteed under Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It explained that such measures amount to collective punishment, in direct contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which obliges respect for the rights of civilians under occupation and guarantees their freedom of movement without arbitrary restrictions.
The governorate warned that turning these gates into military-controlled crossings obstructs patients from reaching hospitals, particularly the Makassed Hospital and other medical centers in the city. It said the gates also prevent students from accessing schools and universities and hinder workers and employees from reaching their workplaces, further aggravating economic and living conditions. It added that the gates undermine freedom of worship by restricting Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, except under permits and restrictive conditions.
The governorate said that the network of checkpoints and gates is part of Israel’s plan to Judaize Jerusalem, describing them as a tool to impose new realities, detach the city from its natural extension in the West Bank, and transform its towns and suburbs into isolated enclaves. At the same time, colonists enjoy unrestricted movement, while Palestinians are confined by barriers, walls, and iron gates, reflecting a clear policy of racial discrimination and apartheid.
The governorate reaffirmed its outright rejection of these policies and called on the United Nations and the Human Rights Council to act immediately to compel Israel to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law and UN resolutions, particularly Resolutions 242 and 2334.
It urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to fulfill its monitoring role and ensure Palestinians’ freedom of movement in Jerusalem and its suburbs. It also called on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel to halt practices that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The governorate concluded that the installation of gates and checkpoints around Jerusalem is another step in Israel’s attempts to impose control and displace the city’s indigenous residents. It stressed that such practices will not alter the fact that Jerusalem is a Palestinian Arab city under occupation, and that all Israeli measures there are null and void under international law.
T.R.
