by Stephen Lendman

Israel prevents free movement throughout the Occupied Territories at all times. Jews only roads prohibit Palestinians from using them.

Settlements are for exclusive Jewish use - no goyim allowed, especially Muslims. Zionism is apartheid on steroids - far exceeding South Africa’s harshness.

It's a sophisticated form social, economic, political and racial discrimination - combining suffocating strangulation with slow-motion genocide, incorporating colonialism’s worst policies. They include murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, arbitrary arrests, illegal imprisonments, denial of the right to life and liberty, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and other abusive acts imposed by Jews on Arabs.

Former UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Occupied Palestine, Richard Falk, once said "Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid in relation to the Palestine people should be taken with the utmost seriousness by all those who affirm human solidarity and care about making visible the long ordeal of a suffering and vulnerable people.”

Over the Yom Kippur holiday period from noon Tuesday until midnight Wednesday, Israel imposed closure on the West Bank and Gaza crossings.

East Jerusalem neighborhoods were locked down. Lifting restrictions depend on a “situation assessment” once the holiday period ends. Jews alone have free movement, Palestinians denied their fundamental right.

East Jerusalem entrances were closed with cement blocks, preventing Palestinians from preparing for Eid al-Adha - the Feast of Sacrifice, one of Islam’s holiest days, celebrated this year on September 24.

Maan News said “Israeli authorities closed the three main entrances of the Sur Bahir neighborhood, as well as three main entrances leading into the neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabbir.”

“The main entrance to al-Issawiya and the two main entrances of Silwan were also obstructed by iron barricades and cement blocks, while Israeli forces and patrols were deployed at the entrances.”

Closures prevented community residents from moving freely, obstructing them from preparing for Eid al-Adha, beginning Wednesday evening.

Draconian restrictions prevent free access to Al-Aqsa. Children, youths and men under 40 are excluded. So are blacklisted women.

Most gates to the compound were closed. Dozens of heavily guarded Zionist zealots were allowed in. Extremist settlers repeatedly defile Islam’s third holiest site - fully supported by racist Israeli authorities.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society said around 150 Palestinians were lawlessly arrested and detained from September 13 - 22, most aged 13 - 20.

On Wednesday, hundreds of Palestinian mourners attended Hadeel al-Hashlamon’s funeral - the 18-year-old student Israeli soldiers murdered in cold blood.

Eyewitnesses refuted Israel’s Big Lie, claiming they foiled her attempt to stab soldiers. No knife or any other weapon was found.

No evidence suggested otherwise. No soldiers were injured. They’re free to kill with impunity. So are police and extremist settlers.

Hadeel made no threatening gestures. She was shot multiple times, including as she lay motionless on the ground.

She didn’t speak Hebrew. She said nothing during the incident, lasting around six minutes, witnesses said. She was left bleeding to death, victimized by Israeli ruthlessness.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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