Checkpoint

Israeli military station or geographical point that is used to control the movement of Palestinian pedestrians, vehicles, and goods, particularly in the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPT) (including East Jerusalem). These can take a variety of forms: staffed checkpoints (large terminals such as Qalandiya and Checkpoint 300 that control movement into Israel and smaller checkpoints such as Beit Hadassah in Hebron, which controls Palestinian movement within the Palestinian city); intermittently staffed checkpoints; road gates; linear closures such as earth walls and trenches; earth mounds; and roadblocks. Some of these may be erected as “pop-up” or “flying checkpoints,” increasing the unpredictability of movement through the area. According to the United Nations, as of February 29, 2025, there were 849 movement obstacles and 288 road gates in the 12 Palestinian governorates of the West Bank. Of those, 76 were in Jerusalem, and they were of eight types. All checkpoints severely restrict Palestinian movement, often generating hours-long traffic jams or increasing commuting times. They are also flashpoints for violence, as heavily armed Israeli soldiers or private contractors enforce the military occupation using tear gas, rubber-coated bullets, and live ammunition, and, likewise, become targets for Palestinian demonstrations and attacks. Checkpoints are also stratified by type of ID holder, with different rules applying to different groups as to whether they can pass by car or only on foot; whether they can pass at all; and if so, in one direction or both. Israeli civilians and their free travel are prioritized in the creation of checkpoints, making the checkpoint regime a key component of apartheid in this context (see Checkpoints, Part 1: Severing Jerusalem).