ReliefWeb

Movement within and in and out of the West Bank is controlled by numerous checkpoints, roadblocks, earthmounds and gates. These manned and unmanned physical barriers combined with the Barrier and complex permit regime, restrict the movement of around 2.4 million Palestinians to basic services, jobs, places of worship and even to their families in the West Bank.

The Israeli authorities state that these measures are necessary for the security of Israeli citizens, both in Israel and those living in settlements in the West Bank. The function of most physical obstacles is to control Palestinian movement onto roads that are used primarily for Israeli settlers.

This paper summarizes the main changes to Palestinian movement over the past four months (January - April 2007).