HaMoked calls on the State: Reopen Shu’afat and ‘Anata checkpoints; the closure constitutes collective punishment of tens of thousands of people

On October 12, 2022, HaMoked wrote to the High Court of Justice department of the State Attorney’s Office to demand regular travel be restored via Shu’afat checkpoint – inside the boundaries of the Jerusalem municipality – and ‘Anata checkpoint in the West Bank, which were shut down following a shooting attack killing a soldier at Shu’afat checkpoint on October 8, 2022. As a result of the closure, some 140,000 people have been denied their freedom of movement and trapped in their neighborhoods, deprived of the ability to access vital services and maintain their daily life. This affects the inhabitants of the Shu’afat refugee camp, who hold permanent residency in Israel as well as their family members who live there legally pursuant to military stay permits, and also the inhabitants of the town of ‘Anata.

HaMoked noted that soon after the shooting, Shu’afat checkpoint was reopened intermittently for travel on foot and by car, but given that exiting the refugee camp still took three hours or more, effectively residents were not able to leave, and many despaired and turned back. As a result, patients could not reach medical treatments, and even ambulances could not go through as a rule. Because of the closure, food and others supplies did not reach the refugee camp and garbage was not cleared. Children living in the enclave remained at home because of the hardships and time involved in trying to go through the checkpoint to reach schools. In addition, HaMoked stated that the security personnel staffing the checkpoint had reportedly acted with violence and disrespect towards the locals residents.

HaMoked also contacted the Israel Police and the Mayor of Jerusalem earlier, on October 9, 2022, following the closure, demanding the checkpoints be opened as this constituted collective punishment against innocent people, many of whom are residents of the city, who must not be abandoned and discriminated against.

* A day later, on October 13, 2022, the Israel police responded that this was “an isolated closure [of the checkpoint] due to a grave security situation described above or largescale public disturbances” and that crossing the checkpoint was allowed “pursuant to a specific  application, in all the necessary and humanitarian cases”.