Israel Recloses Village Gate South of Bethlehem, Blocking Residents’ Access and Snarling Traffic
Key Takeaways
- Israeli forces reclosed the iron gate at a village entrance south of Bethlehem.
- The reclosure prevented residents from entering and exiting the village.
- The gate's reclosure caused heavy traffic congestion on nearby roads.
Gate reclosure reported
Israeli forces reclosed an iron gate south of Bethlehem on February 28 and have maintained closures of several iron gates linking the southern Bethlehem countryside with Hebron since that date, according to local reports.
“Français العربية Info Images Thursday , 12 March , 2026 Weather +15 ° C +17° +7° Ramallah Thursday, 12 Friday | | +18° | +6° ---|---|---|--- Saturday | | +18° | +11° Sunday | | +13° | +8° Monday | | +14° | +6° Tuesday | | +18° | +5° Wednesday | | +22° | +13° See 7-Day Forecast Menu Important News Israeli forces raid town northeast of Jenin, subject dozens of residents to field interrogation Israeli forces raid Jerusalem-area towns, detain residents, including a child Gaza death toll from Israel's deadly aggression surpasses 72,136 Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Arab Parliament condemns Israel's continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for the protection of holy sites in Jerusalem Israeli forces close major checkpoint in northern West Bank Israeli forces hamper Palestinians’ movement east of Qalqilya Israeli forces raid town northeast of Jenin, subject dozens of residents to field interrogation Israeli forces raid Jerusalem-area towns, detain residents, including a child Gaza death toll from Israel's deadly aggression surpasses 72,136 Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Arab Parliament condemns Israel's continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for the protection of holy sites in Jerusalem Israeli forces close major checkpoint in northern West Bank Israeli forces hamper Palestinians’ movement east of Qalqilya Home Occupation [](https://english”
WAFA said "The gate had been closed since February 28" and added that "since February 28, the occupation forces have continued to close several iron gates leading to the southern Bethlehem countryside and to the city of Hebron."
Saba similarly reported "The gate had been closed since February 28th" and listed the same pattern of continued closures.
Named gates closed
Sources named the Nashash gate at Bethlehem's southern entrance and the gates of Al-Manshiyya, Marah Rabah, Jorat al-Sham’a and Umm Salmuna among those closed, indicating specific local chokepoints that are being sealed.
WAFA listed "These include the Nashash gate at the southern entrance to Bethlehem, as well as the gates of the villages of Al-Manshiyya, Marah Rabah, Jorat al-Sham’a, and Umm Salmuna."
Saba repeated the list, saying "The Israeli enemy forces also close the Nashash gate at the southern entrance to Bethlehem, in addition to the gates of the villages of Al-Manshiya, Marah Rabah, Jorat Al-Sham’a, and Umm Salmuna."
Movement and traffic snarled
News reports say the closures have disrupted daily life by restricting movement between villages and blocking access to the city center, snarling traffic and preventing residents from reaching workplaces and services.
“Français العربية Info Images Thursday , 12 March , 2026 Weather +15 ° C +17° +7° Ramallah Thursday, 12 Friday | | +18° | +6° ---|---|---|--- Saturday | | +18° | +11° Sunday | | +13° | +8° Monday | | +14° | +6° Tuesday | | +18° | +5° Wednesday | | +22° | +13° See 7-Day Forecast Menu Important News Israeli forces raid town northeast of Jenin, subject dozens of residents to field interrogation Israeli forces raid Jerusalem-area towns, detain residents, including a child Gaza death toll from Israel's deadly aggression surpasses 72,136 Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Arab Parliament condemns Israel's continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for the protection of holy sites in Jerusalem Israeli forces close major checkpoint in northern West Bank Israeli forces hamper Palestinians’ movement east of Qalqilya Israeli forces raid town northeast of Jenin, subject dozens of residents to field interrogation Israeli forces raid Jerusalem-area towns, detain residents, including a child Gaza death toll from Israel's deadly aggression surpasses 72,136 Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Occupation forces reclose entrance to village near Bethlehem Arab Parliament condemns Israel's continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for the protection of holy sites in Jerusalem Israeli forces close major checkpoint in northern West Bank Israeli forces hamper Palestinians’ movement east of Qalqilya Home Occupation [](https://english”
WAFA reported that "This has restricted the movement of residents between neighboring villages and towns and prevented them from reaching the city center."
Saba echoed that "This has restricted the movement of Palestinian citizens between neighboring villages and towns and prevented them from reaching the city center," while citing UN OCHA data on the wider movement-barrier trend in the West Bank.
Wider barrier context
Saba places the Bethlehem closures in a broader pattern, citing a UN OCHA survey that found 36 new movement barriers in the West Bank in the first three months of the year and noting that there are 288 road gates across the West Bank, of which "60% of them are frequently closed."
The report quotes OCHA saying the barriers "further impede the ability of Palestinians to access basic services and their workplaces," framing the Bethlehem gate closures as part of a larger constraint on movement and livelihoods.
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