Inserts:

00:03 Report / Emily Gordine
01:50 Emily Gordine / DW Correspondent
02:51 Khaldoun Barghouti / Political analyst 

Script:  

These boulders are blocking the southern entrance to the town of A-Tur in occupied East Jerusalem.  

They were put in place after Israel launched its attack on Iran – and mean that cars can no longer pass through. 

Israeli police told DW it’s to “maintain order and security in this area”, but didn’t elaborate how so. 

The people who live here have no choice but to accept it. 

VOX POPS 1 

00.26 - 00.33 MALE

what do these ((surveillance)) blocks even achieve? How do they help, whether from a security standpoint or in terms of protecting citizen’s freedom? 

00.33 - 00.43 FEMALE

It has affected us tremendously. We leave for work at 7 and arrive at 10. We need to walk there.  There are no cars, no buses.” 

((two boys try to lift their scooter between)  

Some try to squeeze past with their scooter – but fail.  

Barriers are everywhere you look in the occupied Palestinian territories.  

Across the West Bank, Israeli authorities have erected numerous yellow gates at the entrances to Palestinian villages, which they can shut at any time.  

As we drive from Jerusalem towards Ramallah, just days into the Israel-Iran conflict, we notice more of them are being installed.  
 
This is Jaba’ checkpoint.  

On the other side, hundred of cars queuing to cross. 

Palestinians use this road for work, to see family and friends, and to access  critical infrastructure.  

VOX POPS 1: 
01.30 - 01.38 MALE
My whole day was ruined—completely ruined. I mean, what if I had a hospital appointment? Or a dentist? Or any other appointment? My whole day was lost.

VOX POPS 2: 
01.38 - 01.42 MALE
It's collective punishment directed at the entirety of the [Palestinian] people.  

The only way to pass when the checkpoint is closed is by foot. 

PTC Emily Gordine, DW Correspondent: 
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are already used to spending hours and hours at checkpoints. But now it looks as if the Israeli soldiers are reinforcing the checkpoints, putting gates in place which means it will be much easier for them to close entire roads like this. 

And much faster as well.  

Israel says the move is necessary – quote - “in light of warnings about the intentions of terrorist elements (in the West Bank) to harm Israeli civilians under the cover of the complex security situation.”  

In its statement to DW, they didn’t specify what kind of warnings they had received.  

For Palestinian analysts, Israel’s latest actions are part of its wider policy.  

The Israeli military’s presence in the West Bank is in part to ensure the safety of hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers who live here illegally ((under international law. )) 

The Israeli government wants to expand their presence even further, having just approved the construction of 22 more settlements here.   

++ Khaldoun Barghouti, Political analyst ++ 
“Israel wants to annex the West Bank and when the world is busy with this conflict in Iran and before the conflict in Gaza, it's the chance for Israel to do this step but without taking an official or a formal decision. They are doing it on the ground by de facto.” 

As Israel creates facts on the ground, the room that Palestinians can move in shrinks with every barrier.