By Anees Barghouthi
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – For the second time in a week, the Israeli army is imposing a “general closure” on the occupied West Bank during the ongoing Jewish holiday of Passover.
According to an Israeli army statement, all checkpoints between the West Bank and Israel will be sealed off for West Bankers, expect for “humanitarian” cases.
The latest closure started at midnight on Thursday and will continue until midnight on Saturday.
The measure is recurring practice by the Israeli army during Jewish holidays, under the pretext that Palestinian attacks may be more likely during these times.
But, it is Palestinians in the West Bank who suffer the most.
Thousands of Palestinians who hold work permits inside Israel are unable to go to work.
Salem Taleb, 45, from the West Bank city of Jenin has not been able to reach his workplace in Ramla city for one week because of the Israeli procedures.
“I get paid by the day and it is barely enough to feed my family,” Taleb told Anadolu Agency. “Because of the closure of the West Bank, I will not be able to reach my work until next Sunday.”
“I do not have enough money for the next three days,” he added.
Ahmed Al-Khatib, 53, is from the West Bank city of Ramallah, but he lives in Jerusalem as he holds an Israeli-given residence permit because he is married to a Jerusalemite woman.
Every day, Ahmed al-Khatib has to pass through Qalandia checkpoint to go to work in Ramallah and to return to his home in East Jerusalem.
“During the first three days of closure during Passover, I slept outside my house because the Israeli army did not allow me to pass the checkpoint and go to my home,” he said. “No one in the entire world is prohibited from reaching his house expect the Palestinians.”
