Israeli forces restrict access to West Bank village
Reageer (0)26-9-2010
RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- All entrances to the village of An-Nabi Salih were closed off early on Saturday morning and the southern Atara checkpoint was closed to vehicle traffic, village officials told Ma'an.
Passengers waiting at the Atara checkpoint were told that it would remain closed until 10 p.m. at night, but that after 8 a.m. pedestrians would be permitted to walk through the military stop zone.
Local sources said the closures were in response to an anti-wall demonstration organized in the village on Friday, while officials from the village's popular committee said the closures were aimed at stifling a conference planned in the area, which was set to attract dozens of international participants and local officials to commemorate International Peace Day, which was observed on Tuesday.
Residents of An-Nabi Salih said they had been denied access in and out of the village since sunrise. Village council leader Bashir Tamimi said Israeli and international peace activists had been invited to the event, along with consular officials from several nations.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said there was not a closure imposed on the village, and that the checkpoints installed in the area were part of regular security procedures in the occupied West Bank.
She said the Atara checkpoint was not officially closed, but added that it could have been temporarily shut down due to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which Israel observes between Thursday and Saturday evening at sundown.
Shortly afternoon, however, and Israeli activist was detained as he tried to enter the village, "despite a closure imposed" by the Israeli military, Israel's daily news site Ynet reported.
Dozens of other Israeli and international activists and supporters were said to have traveled on foot around the blocks to attend the event.
On Friday, three Palestinian demonstrators and two Israelis were injured during the weekly protest against continued land confiscations in the village, which is next to the Hallamish settlement.
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