Israeli occupation forces on Suday shut down Huwwara checkpoints, to the south of Nablus in the West Bank, blocking access of the Palestinian traffic and causing a traffic jam, according to local sources.

The checkpoint was shut down this early morning, forcing Palestinians to use longer alternative routes to reach their destinations.

Israeli occupation forces frequently shut down the checkpoint and reopen it after a few hours from time to time, a procedure usually taken to secure provocative rallies by Israeli settlers living in colonial Israeli settlements in the area.

The checkpoint is a permeant Israeli barrier on the road linking Nablus with the central and southern provinces of the West Bank, and its closure means more suffering for Palestinian drivers and commuters.

According to the UN-OCHA, more than 590 permanent or temporary Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks are scattered throughout the West Bank, disintegrating the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian communities and do not allow their residents to lead a normal life.