West Bank traffic was delayed in massive traffic jams caused by IDF roadblocks and checkpoints set up to bolster security ahead of the release of terrorists from Israeli prisons on Saturday, as part of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
The move aims to minimize the risk of drive-by shooting attacks on roads shared by Israelis and Palestinians but has resulted mounting frustration among Palestinian residents.
“I left work at noon and didn’t arrive home until 8 p.m. There’s no explanation – just an attempt to make life harder for innocent Palestinians,” Ahmad, a resident of Nablus said. Ahmad also added that he has stopped going to work due to the gridlock. “These traffic jams have become living spaces. People pray, eat, and wait outside their cars until the roads clear.”
Traffic jams in the West Bank
(Video: Reuters)
Ahmad noted that the impact has been particularly hard on women. “There are no bathrooms, and they are left with no choice but to endure the humiliation.”
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Said Issa, a resident of Yatta near Hebron, shared a similar experience: “I was stuck from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. for no apparent reason. When I finally passed, no one even checked my car. It’s absurd – what should be a five-minute trip takes hours.”
The situation has disrupted daily life and business. Taxi driver Omar Burayni, who operates the Ramallah-Nablus route, said ridership has plummeted. “There used to be 200 taxis a day; now, it’s barely 40. Everyone is waiting for this nightmare to end.”
Security concerns and rising tensions
The checkpoints coincide with the first phase of a hostage exchange deal but were implemented earlier to counter the threat of shooting attacks from passing vehicles. The IDF, the Shin Bet, and the Border Police have held situational assessments with Central Command Chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth to prevent armed demonstrations during the prisoner release, which could provoke further violence. Seven additional battalions have been deployed to reinforce the region.
Initially, the West Bank was considered a secondary front in the ongoing conflict, and security forces succeeded in preventing widespread unrest despite Hamas' efforts to incite violence. However, with most fronts now under cease-fire and the IDF focused on operations in Jenin, attention has returned to the West Bank.
Palestinian sources report that major checkpoints causing gridlock are located near Ramallah, Qalqilya, Nablus, the Jordan Valley and Tubas. According to the Palestinian Authority’s Committee Against the Separation Wall and Settlements, the number of Israeli checkpoints and gates in the West Bank has risen to 898 since the start of the war.
While the measures aim to enhance security, some Israeli defense officials acknowledge the risk of prolonged unrest. “This level of disruption fuels tensions in Palestinian society, and sustaining it long-term will be challenging,” one source noted.
First published: 15:07, 01.23.25