Israel sets up new checkpoint south of Hebron

Israeli forces yesterday installed a new iron gate at the entrance to the village of Kharsa, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, less than a month after constructing two gates in the same area.

A local source said a large Israeli army force arrived with a crane and installed the gate.

According to local sources the new gate is part of an Israeli plan to install five in the area which would isolate about 15 Palestinian housing communities south of Hebron, Quds Press reported.

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An Israeli settlement subcommittee announced last month a detailed plan to construct new settlement units, buildings and roads in the settlement of Nighot built on land confiscated from Palestinians south of Hebron.

The plan which was published on the Israeli interior ministry’s website covers an area of 291 dunums (0.29 square kilometres) and aims to change the land use from agricultural to residential.