Sealing the border between the West Bank and Israel
The Israeli government announced yesterday that it would “seal off the border between the West Bank and Israel” and this
phrasing was unquestioningly repeated by many media outlets.
The phrase “sealing off the border” implies that Israel is simply exercising its sovereign right to control who enters
Israel. Israel however, is NOT sealing off the border between the West Bank and Israel – it is sealing off Palestinian
towns and villages within the West Bank and thereby prohibiting Palestinians from leaving their towns and traveling
WITHIN the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Consequently, Israel’s actions are more accurately described as “sealing
off Palestinian towns and villages” within the Occupied West Bank.
Please note that Israeli settlers living illegally in the West Bank still enjoy freedom of movement not only within the
Occupied Palestinian Territories but also between the West Bank and Israel.