Analysis: Israel’s Gaza invasion could test its occupation of the West Bank
Al JazeeraIsrael will struggle to man its ever-increasing checkpoints in the West Bank and flood the Gaza Strip with soldiers. Israel maintains a hefty security presence in the occupied West Bank with a network of permanent and temporary checkpoints set up by the army and paramilitary border police. The human rights group also warned that, even in a period of relative calm: “Israeli forces routinely turn away or delay and humiliate Palestinians at checkpoints without explanation, while permitting largely unfettered movement to Israeli settlers.” Most of the checkpoints are along the separation barrier – a wall that in places rises three storeys high, topped with razor wire and dotted with observation towers and all sorts of surveillance and security equipment. Hit and burn Many observers believe the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on Saturday were triggered by unchecked violence instigated and perpetrated by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.