JENIN, February 23, 2017 (WAFA) – Israeli soldiers manning a checkpoint outside Jenin in the north of the West Bank Thursday tore up army-issued permits for 110 Palestinians when they were trying to cross Jalama checkpoint, north of Jenin, into Israel, said an official.

Chairman of Jenin Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hesham Masad said Israeli troops tore up the permits of Palestinians that would allow them to enter Israel claiming their permits were not valid for workers, but rather for business people.

Masad said he believes this step was intended to make it more difficult for Palestinians attempting to enter Israel looking for work and to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of families.

He said the permits were revoked from poor Palestinians, slamming this step as part of the Israeli policy of collective punishment that would incur heavy damages on workers.

Separately, Israeli forces punitively revoked the entry permits of 15 Palestinians during a predawn raid into Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, claiming their children hurl stones at settlers’ vehicles.

K. F./M.K.