Escalating Gaza Conflict Compounds West Bank Palestinians' Plight with Heightened Restrictions and Settler Violence
Amidst escalating tensions in Gaza, West Bank Palestinians face mounting restrictions and settler violence Joseph Handal, a dedicated worker at a Franciscan church in Jerusalem's Old City, rises at 4:30 am to commute from Bethlehem, underscoring the challenges they endure
Joseph Handal wakes up at 4:30 a.m. in order to arrive at work by 9 a.m., despite his workplace, a Franciscan church located in the Old City of Jerusalem, being just a few miles away from his home in Bethlehem. Although the journey should typically take 25 minutes by road, the complexities of the occupied West Bank make it anything but straightforward.
"We wait and watch for the arrival of the bus. If it fails to appear, it means the checkpoint is currently closed. Presently, it is indeed closed. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that it may open later. Alternatively, it may remain closed," Handal informed CNN, while standing on the roadside alongside a cluster of fellow workers.
As an inhabitant of the West Bank, Handal requires a permit in order to access Jerusalem. Although he possesses one, his ability to reach his workplace hinges upon successfully navigating through at least two Israeli checkpoints.
Since the commencement of Israel's war, he asserts that this procedure has turned into a horrendous ordeal.
Following the terrorist attack initiated by Hamas on October 7, resulting in the death of over 1,400 individuals and the abduction of approximately 240 others, Israel intensified its security protocols, leading to a significant imposition on the mobility of Palestinian inhabitants in the West Bank.
CNN has reached out to Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) regarding the heightened restrictions, but has yet to receive a response.
The West Bank's entry and exit points are under the control of Israel, who manages them with barricades and checkpoints staffed by soldiers and armed police. These checkpoints have always had the power to close unexpectedly. However, since October 7, closures have become more frequent and enduring, according to residents and human rights organizations.
Israeli soldiers positioned on the road between the West Bank cities of Nablus and Tulkarem.
This daily uncertainty affects Handal and the tens of thousands of West Bank Palestinians who rely on commuting to Jerusalem for various reasons, such as work, education, medical appointments, or visiting their families.
Mohammad Jamil, an Arabic teacher from a village near Hebron, expressed how the situation puts individuals in a predicament where they are unable to make plans, such as meeting someone the next day, due to the uncertainty of events. Jamil shared with CNN that his son Ibrahim had been absent from school for two days within the past two weeks. This was a result of the closure of the Tunnels Checkpoint near Bethlehem. However, Ibrahim, who attends an elementary school in Jerusalem, seemed unaffected by this disruption, stating that school is boring and laughing about it.
But while Ibrahim might be relieved when he misses school, his father is growing more exasperated by the day.
"There is no future here. No solution," he said.
Souad Al Alem speaks to CNN at a refugee camp in Gaza.
Mohammad Al Sawalhi/CNN
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Ibrahim resides in Jerusalem with his mother, who is an Israeli citizen. However, Jamil is a Palestinian from the West Bank, which restricts his ability to visit Ibrahim regularly. Jamil lives and works in the West Bank and possesses a family visit permit that allows him to enter Jerusalem to see Ibrahim, but this permit only allows him to visit for five days every three months. As a result, Ibrahim now stays with Jamil in the West Bank for two days a week, but this arrangement has become significantly more complicated since the commencement of the war.
New movement restrictions may be implemented abruptly and without explanation, thus individuals who require mobility for employment should maintain a greater level of flexibility and ensure they allow ample time for travel.
"We are accustomed to this. We live under occupation," Handal expressed. Nonetheless, despite the challenging commute which at times entails lengthy waiting periods, unanticipated checkpoint closures, and interrogations from Israeli security forces, Handal finds it highly beneficial. The average daily wages in Israel and Jerusalem exceed double the earnings potential in the West Bank, as reported by the International Labour Organization.
Joseph Handal waits on the road out of Bethlehem to see if an Israeli checkpoint will open on Monday, November 6.
Since taking control of the West Bank from Jordanian military occupation in 1967, Israel has maintained its occupation of the area. Following the Oslo Accords peace agreements in the early 1990s, the West Bank was subsequently divided into three distinct zones: A, B, and C.
Approximately 60% of the West Bank, known as Area C, falls under complete Israeli control and is considered a contiguous territory. Area B, constituting joint control by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and Area A, entirely under Palestinian control, each account for approximately 20% of the West Bank. Moving between cities and villages within Areas B and A often requires Palestinians to navigate through areas fully controlled by Israel, leading to isolation and restricted movement.
Getting through an Israeli checkpoint in Bethlehem can be a challenging or even unattainable task. For the past month, cars have been prohibited from accessing the road that links Handals neighborhood with the city's main route. To exit this area, one must either arrange for a taxi or personally travel to the checkpoint, traverse the barrier on foot, and then find an alternate mode of transportation to continue their journey.
A bus taking West Bank residents through an Israeli checkpoint and into Jerusalem stops to pick up passengers waiting by the side of the road, on Monday, November 6.
Under the Oslo Accords, Israel had committed to gradually transferring control of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority; however, this agreement has not been implemented. Instead, numerous Israeli settlements have been established in the West Bank, encroaching on lands that both Palestinians and the international community consider to be part of a future Palestinian state.
According to Peace Now, an Israeli organization that supports peace efforts and monitors settlements, there are around 500,000 Israeli Jewish settlers currently residing in the West Bank. These settlements, which often have heavy security measures and are fenced-off, are completely inaccessible to Palestinians.
The majority of the international community considers these settlements to be in violation of international law. Israel has faced criticism for allowing their expansion and, in some instances, providing them with tax benefits and state-funded security. Israel maintains that the West Bank is a "disputed territory" and argues that its settlement policy is legal.
The situation in the areas surrounding these settlements has consistently been susceptible to violence, however, it has escalated in recent months. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah reports that over 170 Palestinians have lost their lives in the West Bank since October 7. This number surpasses the total number of deaths caused by Israeli forces in 2022, according to UN statistics.
On November 5, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a meeting at the Muqata in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This meeting took place in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool
Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Reuters
Blinken meets Palestinian Authority President Abbas in West Bank amid growing settler violence
The majority lost their lives in confrontations with security forces and during IDF raids. The IDF reported that a portion of them were members of Hamas and Jihad, while others were involved in clashes.
As per the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, settlers were responsible for the deaths of a minimum of eight Palestinians.
The escalating violence has ignited global criticism, with Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, joining in expressing dismay. Turk urgently appeals to Israeli authorities to promptly and decisively intervene for the safeguarding of Palestinians in the West Bank. They are subjected to daily violence from Israeli forces and settlers, as well as facing mistreatment, arrests, evictions, intimidation, and humiliation.
Since October 7, settlers have compelled nearly 1,000 Palestinians from at least 15 herding communities to evacuate their residences, as reported by the UN.
Turk stated that considering the oppressive surroundings in which these communities dwell, the displacement of these individuals could be classified as a severe infringement of the Fourth Geneva Convention. He further added that persistent and widespread impunity for such transgressions is unacceptable, perilous, and blatantly contravenes Israel's responsibilities under international human rights law.
Palestinian men check on a burned building after an attack by Israeli settlers, near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on June 21, 2023.
Last month, 30 human rights and civil society organizations in Israel came together to publish a joint letter. In the letter, they accused the settlers of taking advantage of the lack of public attention towards the West Bank and the prevailing hostility towards Palestinians. These settlers are accused of intensifying their violent attacks in an effort to forcibly relocate Palestinian communities.
US President Joe Biden, a strong advocate for Israel and its military actions against Hamas, denounces the aggression of extremist settlers in Israel who have been attacking Palestinians in the West Bank.
Armed settlers attacked an apartment building on October 11, killing four people.
CNN
Dozens of Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed due to settler attacks and clashes. In response to the violence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement on Wednesday, emphasizing that these acts do not represent the general public and that they will not be tolerated. The statement further asserts that appropriate action will be taken against those who take the law into their own hands.
Groups of Palestinians frequently engage in clashes with Israeli police at checkpoints and in other highly volatile regions, often resorting to stone-throwing and arson. Consequently, the escalated level of violence has compelled numerous residents of the West Bank to confine themselves within their homes. Handal, in an interview with CNN, revealed that he had scarcely ventured outside of his residence during the initial fortnight of the conflict.
Jamil ensures the safety of his son by personally driving him to school, as there have been incidents of settlers throwing rocks at passing cars in the area. After a lengthy wait, constantly seeking updates from friends and uncertain of the outcome, Handal was finally able to make it to work on Monday.
The bus never arrived, but he managed to find a solution. "Luckily, a friend from Jerusalem offered me a ride. When we reached the border, I was asked for my ID and permit, and I was allowed in. It was a stroke of luck," he explained.
As a worker paid by the hour and with two young children waiting for him at home, he couldn't afford to waste a whole day.
