Israeli soldiers install a new roadblock near the entrance to the northern West Bank village of 'Azzoun, near Qalqilia. (Maan Images)

At the beginning of April, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak announced to US Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice the removal of 61 roadblocks throughout the West Bank. This was supposed to "make life easier for Palestinians" and to show that Israel is doing its best to prepare for peace talks later this year.

The United Nation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has examined the Israeli claim carefully and has found that only 44 roadblocks had been removed, well short of the promised 61. According to OCHA, 6 more of the roadblocks on Barak's list have been left in place. The remaining 11 simply never existed.

A close examination of the 44 roadblocks which existed and were removed reveals that most of them had no implications whatsoever for Palestinians' freedom of movement. Only 5 of these 44 obstacles were classified by the U.N. as "significant" for Palestinians living in the area. The remaining obstacles were classified as of "little", "no", or "questionable" significance, often noting that there were other major roadblocks nearby, that they were located in insignificant areas (such as open fields) or even that some had been built and removed on the same day.

Building roadblocks in the morning, removing them in the afternoon

This is what happened in the area of Tulkarm, more specifically on the roads connecting the villages of Bal'a to Anabta and Dhinnaba to Izbat Abu Khmeish.

On 31 March, Israeli soldiers went to this area and closed both roads by blocking them with stones and sand, preventing anyone from getting through. The main roads in between the villages were closed as well as the smaller alternative dirt roads, leaving would-be travelers no option but to return from where they came.

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Later that day, soldiers returned to the area and removed a few of these roadblocks. The Israeli army then published an official statement explaining that they had removed the promised number of roadblocks. Their list included the roadblocks near Tulkarm established in the morning and removed in the afternoon.

The Israeli statement obviously did not mention the absurd character of these roadblock removals, neither did it mention that several roadblocks on the road between Dhinnaba and Izbat Abu Khmeish were also established on the same day, but were not removed.

The soldiers' game

These sand or earth mounds are but one technique often used by the Israeli military throughout the West bank to restrict the Palestinians' ability to move. There are now 580 permanent "points of closure" throughout the West bank, from trenches and other obstacles to manned checkpoints.

In the Tulkarm district, new Israeli roadblocks and checkpoints suddenly established on unexpected roads have become a daily reality for Palestinians. A local explains that there is almost never any specific reason for these checkpoints or roadblocks, "it just depends on the mood of the soldiers." People in Tulkarm cynically refer to it as "the soldiers' game."

Around the villages of Deir Al Ghusun and Al Jarushiya, north of Tulkarm, there seems to be a lot of these 'games' going on. Israeli soldiers regularly decide to place their jeeps or tanks in the middle of the roads, forbidding any vehicle to cross. There is almost never a reason for these actions.

A student at the Arab American University of Jenin explains the difficulties he has faced in the past: "sometimes the soldiers put a heap of sand and stones in the middle of the only passable road, obliging everybody to get out of the bus and to carry on by foot, searching for other alternative routes." The people here are forced to be creative, because every day a new obstacle can be erected on the road to their jobs, schools, families or friends. Whether it is an earth mound, a manned checkpoint or just an Israeli jeep or tank stationed in the middle of the road, each time the Palestinians have to find new ways to get around.

To read the full article please visit The Palestine Monitor.