Israeli Occupation Forces seal off village entrance south Hebron and establish military watchtower in the area

July 1, 2017

In June 2017, Israeli Occupation Forces established military watchtower at the entrance of Wad Al-Shajina village, south Hebron and set up a metal gate in there as well.

It should be noted that Israeli Occupation Forces issued on April 20, 2017 a military order stating the confiscation of a land parcel located at the entrance of the village for " security reasons". The land is reported owned by Abdelmajid Qasrawi. Shortly after being taken,  the occupation set up a cement wall with barbed wires upon and installed a metal gate at the entrance of the village.

Construction of the watchtower is still ongoing. As a result, residents of the area got their movement restricted due to the constant Israeli harassments on passersby.

Photos 1+2: view of the construction works on the watchtower

Photo 3: the targeted location

An aerial photo illustrating the location of the watchtower and the gate

It is reported that the village's residents are now forced to take a substitute road through Tarama, Khursa and Dura villages to reach their daily destinations. This gate is the 25^th to be set up at entrances of Palestinian villages, towns and cities in Hebron governorate. The number exclude the Old City of Hebron. The following table shows information about the gates set up in Hebron by the occupation:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2017

Attached map illustrates the locations of the gates set up in Hebron cities and towns

Land Research Center sees closures as restriction to the right to movement and that it contradicts all international conventions of related  such like :

The Universal Declaration of Human rights1948:

• Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

• Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

• Article 13:
• (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
• (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:

• Article 7 prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment.
•  Article 9 recognizes the rights to liberty and security of the person. It prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention, requires any deprivation of liberty to be according to law, and obliges parties to allow those deprived of their liberty to challenge their imprisonment through the courts

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC