For about a month and till Monday, May 8, 2023, the Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the military checkpoint established at the entrance to the village of Beit Sira, west of Ramallah, in front of Palestinian-owned vehicles, preventing them from accessing Street 443, which leads to occupied Jerusalem.

Amidst restrictions that are the first of their kind in 13 years, which means cracking down on Palestinian people, officials warn that such measures are a prelude to the implementation of new Israeli settlement plans in the region.

Israeli occupation forces had closed Road (443) and prevented Palestinian residents from accessing it, in addition to military checkpoints established at the entrances of seven villages and towns that benefit from the road, located west of Ramallah, namely: “Safa, Beit Sira, Beit Liqia, Beit Ur al-Fauqa, Beit Ur al-Tahta, Kharbatha al-Misbah, and al-Tira,” according to what the Mayor of Beit Liqia, Areej Asi, confirmed.

Assi pointed out that Palestinian citizens were surprised a month ago by the closure of the checkpoint established at the entrance of Beit Sira, in front of vehicles, and allowing those who have permits to cross on foot to reach Road 443, forcing vehicles to cross through other checkpoints, such as the Qalandiya checkpoint.

Al-Hajj, the head of the village council of Beit Sira, points out that the Israeli occupation placed checkpoints at the entrances to the seven villages and towns, that these checkpoints became open from five in the morning until 10 at night following the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court in 2010.

Al-Hajj stressed that this street is vital for Palestinian citizens, reviving the western villages in Ramallah, which include about 40 thousand people.