LONDON: Israeli forces installed an iron gate at the entrance of Hebron’s Old City in the southern occupied West Bank on Wednesday, along with a military tower on the roof of the old municipality building, further restricting the movement of Palestinians.
The iron gate was installed along a route leading to the Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque. It is near a Palestinian school that was taken over by forces in September 2024 and converted into a Jewish religious institute, according to Wafa news agency.
The Israeli army maintains a heavy presence in Hebron, with more than 1,000 soldiers protecting the 800 settlers who live in the city. About 35,000 Palestinians in the H2 part of the city are barred from using certain streets, including Shuhada Street, once a vibrant commercial area that was closed in 1994.
The Israeli government approved measures earlier this year to establish “de facto sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank and bolster settler presence in the territory. Measures permit Israel to regulate land use in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, including Hebron, and allow Jewish settlers to pressure Palestinians into giving up their land. Excluding East Jerusalem, about 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, alongside about 3 million Palestinians.
