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Since the outbreak of the Intifada military checkpoints and roadblocks have been placed around
Palestinian cities and villages in order to restrict the movement of people and goods in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories. While some checkpoints have been put in place to completely
block access to Palestinian areas, others have been set up for no apparent reason other than to
harass the Palestinian populace. The checkpoint set up near Kalandia Refugee Camp between
Ramallah and Jerusalem can be taken as a case in point.
This checkpoint is set up adjacent to the Jerusalem Airport at the southern edge of Kalanadia
Refugee camp. It is located approximately three kilometers north of the main al-Ram checkpoint
that blocks Palestinian access to Jerusalem. Cement blocks have been placed across the road
shortly after the main Jerusalem Ramallah Road intersects with the main road to Jericho. The
blocks allow only one car to pass at a time in each direction, and are arranged in such a way as to
force cars to virtually stop while winding through the thin passage left open. Between five and
twenty Israeli soldiers man this checkpoint and it is watched over by snipers located in a tower
nearby. This checkpoint remains open much of the day. The soldiers wave cars past, only
stopping one or two at random to check IDs. However, at peak traffic hours the road is regularly
closed as residents of Ramallah and Jerusalem travel to and from work. Each car is checked
and traffic can be backed up a kilometer or more. At times no cars are allowed to pass for
extended periods.
As traffic backs up the road becomes congested and drivers line up in three or four lanes in the
hope that a second lane may move them forward faster. While cars are backed up at this location
clashes between Israeli soldiers and local residents regularly breakout. Stones and bullets
continuously fly across the road. Everyday indiscriminately fired rubber and live ammunition strike
cars. While drivers become impatient due to the one to two and a half hours they regularly spend
waiting to pass through the checkpoint, it is often fear of being shot that causes several lanes of
traffic to form. Drivers jockey for position trying to hide behind other cars and avoid open areas
where they might come under fire.
Recently al-Haq has received repeated reports of Palestinian motorists being arbitrarily fined at
this and other Israeli military checkpoints for unavoidable traffic violations caused by congestion
resulting from the roadblocks that have been put in place to halt traffic. During the last several
weeks Israeli police officers have begun using this congestion as a reason for handing out tickets
to Palestinian motorists. Al-Haq has documented numerous cases in which officers have selected
cars at random and fined their drivers between NIS 500 ($125) and NIS 800 ($200). This is
approximately equivalent to 25% to 50% of many Palestinians monthly salaries. Some drivers
have received two tickets during the same day.
No attempts have been made by the Israeli policemen to direct traffic. An al-Haq employee
asked an Israeli policeman handing out tickets near the checkpoint why he was fining drivers and
not directing traffic. He answered that he was not required to direct traffic. By first placing
obstacles in the road that will inevitably cause congestion, and then handing out tickets to drivers
stuck in the resulting mess without ever attempting to direct traffic the Israeli authorities are
responsible for what can only be termed legal harassment. Al-Haq has collected personal
information on the policemen present at this location and has carefully documented several cases.
We will be following up on this issue in court during the coming months.
Harassment and abuse at checkpoints has become a widespread problem. Al-Haq has received
several reports of individuals being beaten or arbitrarily detained at checkpoints. Taxi drivers
have reported that soldiers have stolen their money while their cars are being searched. Last
week an al-Haq employee reported that while standing at a checkpoint between Birzeit and
Ramallah for two hours he saw soldiers verbally threaten and abuse individuals waiting there.
One soldier threatened to kick a man in the head if he did not move back several steps after the
man had moved six inches forward while turning to talk to a neighbor.
If Israel is going to justify its placement of roadblocks around Palestinian towns and villages by
stating that there is a military state of emergency, it cannot then attempt to enforce civil traffic
regulations at these locations. Israeli forces continue to place roadblocks on busy roads, the only
purpose of which is to inconvenience Palestinian drivers and cause delays. These roadblocks and
the indiscriminate fire of Israeli soldiers near the roadblocks lead to a situation lead to a situation
in which mayhem must be expected and Palestinians lives are put in danger. The purpose of civil
traffic laws is to protect drivers lives. To use these regulations to punish drivers for taking steps
to protect themselves from the danger they are put in by the Israeli soldiers is contrary to the
nature of these laws. The fining of Palestinian drivers for violating civil traffic regulation constitutes
harassment and must stop.
The checkpoints and roadblocks placed around Palestinian towns and villages are a form of
collective punishment, and as such violate Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.
Al-Haq has been inundated with complaints of both verbal and physical abuse carried out by
Israeli soldiers at checkpoints throughout the Occupied Territories. Additional to these cases of
harassment, the UN, the PNA, and local and international organizations have also submitted
regular reports concerning the negative economic and social impact that these sieges have had
upon the Palestinian community. If these violations are to end the international community and the
United Nations should take concrete action to ensure that the sieges over Palestinian towns are
lifted and that checkpoints and roadblocks are removed. |