Israeli occupation forces quelled today a rally organized to condemn the opening of a settlers-only road on Palestinian land in the town of Beita to the south of Nablus, in the northern occupied West Bank, according to local sources.
Forces attacked the rally, which was called for by the faction coordination committee in Nablus, with tear gas canisters, however, no injuries or arrests were reported.
The Israeli information center for human rights in occupied territories, B’Tselem, said: “The roads regime, which is based on separation through discrimination, bears clear similarities to the racist apartheid regime that existed in South Africa until 1994.” “An individual’s national origin determines their right to use various roads. This policy is based on a racist premise: that all Palestinians are security risks, and it is therefore justifiable to restrict their movement. Thus the policy indiscriminately harms the entire Palestinian population, in violation of their human rights and of international law,” said B’Tselem.
B’Tselem demanded that the government of Israel immediately end the forbidden roads regime and that it respect the right of Palestinians to freedom of movement on all roads inside the West Bank.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency