For Immediate Release
West Bank checkpoints closed while world is watching Lebanon
Date: 05th August 2006
Tonight while the eyes of the world are on Lebanon and Gaza, Israel continues its campaign of collective punishment and
closures in the West Bank. In response to reports of a possible suicide bomber, at least two major checkpoints on road
number 5 have been closed for the last four hours. There are reports of over 500 vehicles held up at Huwarra checkpoint
leading to and from Nablus. Tens of cars were also held up at Zatarra checkpoint on the way from Salfeet to Jerusalem.
IWPS witnesses report that ‘Many children, women and men were delayed on their way home because of Israel’s policy of
punishing all Palestinians for the tiny minority of those who commit acts of violence’.
One soldier was overhead threatening a driver who had left his car to talk to a member of IWPS. IWPS reports that the
soldier said ‘if you get out of your car I will smash your face in’.
The International Womens Peace Service (IWPS) witnesses, documents and publicizes human rights abuses and peacefully
intervenes to prevent them. We support non-violent resistance to the illegal and brutal Military Occupation of
Palestinian lands. We live in Hares, Salfit.
ENDS