“There are currently 898 barriers across the West Bank, including iron gates, earth mounds, and permanent checkpoints. That’s an increase of 18 barriers in a span of three days.” [Getty]
In tandem with US President Donald Trump‘s inauguration, and his lifting of sanctions imposed by the previous administration on illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank over increased violence, the number of Israeli military checkpoints and gates have spiked in the region. These barriers, locals say, are disrupting daily movements of Palestinians, significantly impacting their economy, and restricting access to essential medical services.
While Israeli authorities justify the measures as necessary for security, human rights groups condemn them as collective punishment that exacerbates an already volatile situation. In Jenin and elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, Israeli army and settlers have ramped up violence over the past three days, with military raids killing more than 10 people.
The roadblocks are making matters worse for residents.
On 22 January, the official Palestinian news agency reported that a 45-year-old mother of six suffering from a stroke passed away because Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron denied her the urgent care she needed by blocking the ambulance vehicle carrying her to the hospital.
“Between every two barriers, is another barrier,” Amir Dawood, head of public relations at the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission (WSRC), told The New Arab. “There are currently 898 barriers across the West Bank, including iron gates, earth mounds, and permanent checkpoints. That’s an increase of 18 barriers in a span of three days.”
Dawood added that, although these barriers existed before, “their numbers and sophistication have grown significantly,” increasing the restrictions on Palestinian movements.
He noted that Hebron, the largest governorate, has the highest concentration of checkpoints, followed by Ramallah.
Meanwhile, Jenin, despite its ongoing military crackdown, has fewer checkpoints, which Dawood attributes to its unique geography. Still, the limited entry points have turned Jenin into a humanitarian crisis zone, with medical services unable to reach those in need.
A long wait on the road to nowhere
Basil Fakousa, a Palestinian resident of the occupied West Bank, said he was upheld for 13 hours at the notorious Container Checkpoint while en route from Hebron to Ramallah.
“I watched an entire season of Bab Al-Hara on my phone while waiting from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m.,” he said sarcastically, referring to a famous Syrian soap opera known for its lengthy episodes. His day began with a work trip to Ramallah, but ended in frustration.
Upon reaching the checkpoint, Fakousa and others were informed it was closed indefinitely. Stranded with no way to return to Hebron, he spent the day drinking coffee and buying roasted chestnuts from roadside vendors, lamenting the waste of time and opportunities.
“Eventually, around 10 p.m., they opened the checkpoint. Perhaps the soldiers switched shifts, and one of them took pity on us,” he said with bitter humour.
His frustration is shared by many Palestinians. “I won’t go back to Ramallah or leave Hebron again until this nightmare ends. The situation is unbearable,” Fakousa added.
According to WSRC figures, more than 173 barriers and metal gates have been erected in the occupied West Bank since Israel launched its war on Gaza on 7 October 2023. Residents fear that, with Washington giving Israel the greenlight to up its violence, more of these barriers will emerge.
Restrictions for political gains
Journalist Ameed Shehadeh sees the surge in checkpoints as a political manoeuvre rather than a security necessity. “The Israeli military has gone overboard with checkpoints, especially after the recent political deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Bezalel Smotrich,” he said.
Netanyahu faced criticism and fishers in his cabinet for going ahead with the Gaza ceasefire, which many in Israel, including far-right Smotrich, deemed as conceding to Hamas’ terms. Israeli press reported that Smotrich agreed to remain in the cabinet following several commitments from Netanyahu.
According to Shehadeh, the additional gates are measures that often seem arbitrary, with checkpoint policies “dependent on the whims of soldiers”.
Shehadeh also criticised the checkpoints as a tactic to create chaos and pressure Palestinian civilians, ruling out that they have any actual security benefits to Israel. “Resistance fighters don’t cross these checkpoints, so their presence isn’t about security. It’s about control and collective punishment,” he said.
A stranglehold on movement
The checkpoints have made life particularly difficult for residents of cities like Jenin and Nablus, which frequently face closures. Jenin, a hotspot of resistance, has become virtually inaccessible. Even Red Crescent medical teams are regularly denied entry.
“Ambulances are delayed or turned away altogether, worsening the humanitarian crisis,” Shehadeh said.
Sari Arabi, a political analyst, argues that the primary purpose of these checkpoints is to serve the expansion of Israeli settlements. He believes the recent escalation is part of a broader strategy to compensate for perceived failures in Gaza.
“Israel’s military campaign in the West Bank is aimed at demonstrating its power. Smotrich even referred to it as a ‘steel wall’ to crush resistance,” Arabi told TNA. He added that the checkpoints also aim to “suffocate Palestinian economic life and morale”.
Stating that long delays prevent workers from reaching jobs, while businesses in major commercial hubs face dwindling customers, Arabi said the toll on the occupied West Bank and its residents are crushing.
“The West Bank‘s economy is already struggling, and the checkpoints are making it far worse,” Arabi said.
This piece was published in collaboration with Egab.
