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Geopolitics

Israeli iron gates and checkpoints turn Hebron's Old City into 'ghost town', residents say

New barriers on a 200-metre stretch of the Old City compound already severe movement restrictions for Palestinians in the H2 area, where settlers live alongside 7,000 Palestinians.

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Israeli authorities have installed three iron gates across a 200-metre stretch of Hebron's Old City, part of a tightening web of restrictions that residents say is turning their neighbourhood into a ghost town, according to an Al Jazeera report. The gates, erected in recent days, block vehicle access and pedestrian routes, adding to 89 checkpoints and 925 movement obstacles across the West Bank, with a heavy concentration in the Israeli-controlled H2 sector of Hebron.

Hebron, occupied West Bank – Badr al-Tamimi, 60, a lifelong resident of Hebron's Old City, now finds himself navigating iron gates and checkpoints to reach his shop near the Ibrahimi Mosque. “The simplest tasks have become a dispiriting daily ordeal,” he told Al Jazeera.

The new gates are on al-Zahid Road, al-Shalala Street and another section of al-Shalala Street, according to Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari. He said the first gate sits on the only vehicle route to the Old City entrance, and the latter two gates affect pedestrian access to shopping areas in the city centre.

Approximately 40 percent of the 89 checkpoints in the West Bank and 11 percent of all 925 movement obstacles are located in the H2 area of Hebron, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). About 7,000 Palestinians live alongside hundreds of Israeli settlers in H2, and since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, only Palestinians with specific identification numbers have been able to enter the area. Checkpoints are generally open only from 7am to 8pm, and residents report waiting hours depending on the mood of soldiers manning them.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The restrictions are strangling economic and social life in a densely populated historic urban centre, forcing residents to weigh leaving their homes.
  • The new gates compound existing checkpoints, making it harder for Palestinians to access shops, schools and healthcare.
  • The situation underscores the continuing expansion of Israeli occupation infrastructure in the West Bank, which international bodies including the UN have repeatedly criticised.

Background

Hebron is a Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank that has been divided since 1997 under the Oslo Accords: H1 is under Palestinian Authority control, while H2, which includes the Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque, remains under full Israeli military control. Around 700 Israeli settlers live in enclaves in H2, protected by the military, while Palestinian residents face severe movement restrictions. The Israeli government has not responded to the latest closures.

Key Perspectives

Palestinian residents and shopkeepers: They report that the gates and checkpoints make daily life unbearable, cutting them off from customers and family, and that the restrictions have increased since the Gaza war began. They see the barriers as a deliberate effort to drive them out of H2. Israeli settlers in Hebron: A small number of settlers live in fortified compounds in the Old City. Their presence is the stated reason for the military checkpoints, which Israel says are necessary to protect them. International humanitarian agencies: OCHA has documented the expansion of movement obstacles, and the UN has repeatedly called for the removal of restrictions that violate international humanitarian law.

What to Watch

  • Whether Israel installs additional gates or checkpoints in other parts of H2 or the West Bank.
  • Any escalation of settler attacks during the upcoming olive harvest season, which has already been reported.
  • Diplomatic responses from the United Nations or individual states, particularly in light of ongoing International Court of Justice proceedings regarding occupation legality.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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