Center for the Defence of the Individual - HaMoked to West Bank commander: Closure imposed on al-'Araqah constitutes collective punishment and must be lifted immediately
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חזרה לעמוד הקודם
15.02.2016

HaMoked to West Bank commander: Closure imposed on al-'Araqah constitutes collective punishment and must be lifted immediately

On the night of February 14, 2016, the military imposed a closure on the Palestinian community of al-'Araqah in the Jenin district, after an incident in which two Israeli soldiers and two local Palestinian youths were killed.

On February 15, 2016 HaMoked contacted the commander of the West Bank demanding the military lift the closure immediately and allow residents, many of whom live and work outside the community, to move freely. HaMoked protested the fact that the military was preventing exit from the village even in emergencies, such as the case of a dialysis patient who required medical attention, but was denied exit by the soldiers. HaMoked argued that the collective punishment imposed on the community was wrongful and a breach of the state’s assurance in HCJ 7577/06 that “the term ‘closure’ does not generally mean a sweeping ban on entry and exit from a certain area, but a requirement for a security check upon entry and exit into the area.”

HaMoked requested a copy of the order or declaration pursuant to which the closure was imposed and the reasons for imposing it.