Army declares Nablus area a closed military zone | Machsomwatch
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Army declares Nablus area a closed military zone

Army declares Nablus area a closed military zone

source: 
IMEMC & Agencies
author: 
Saed Bannoura
In an attempt to prevent Israeli peace activists from entering the Nablus area, the head of the Central Command of the Israeli Army, Gadi Shamni, declared Nablus a closed military zone.

The army said that that there had been several complaints by the soldiers against members of the Machsom Watch (Checkpoint Watch) organization.


The army added that this decision applies to all Israeli citizens regardless of their ideology.

 The decision was slammed by the Human Rights Organization “Yish Din”. The group said that only totalitarian countries bar human rights organizations from entering areas of conflict between the military and the civilian population.


 The group added that such acts are meant to cover-up “criminal activities carried out by the soldiers at the roadblocks”, and added that “it won’t be surprised of Israel starts acting like China, by barring certain internet sites”.

 Meanwhile, the army said that soldiers removed that Rimonim and the Bir Zeit roadblocks, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.


 In Nablus, the army said that the Aseera Al Shimaliyya roadblock would be opened after 24 hours.

 An army statement claimed that the military wants to “widen the freedom of movement”, and added that it removed 145 roadblocks last year.


 Most of the roadblocks the army claims to remove were mainly random roadblocks that the soldiers installed and became an ongoing fact. This does not include dozens of main roadblocks that are functioning like crossings, thus limiting the freedom of movement of the Palestinian residents.