Israeli military post in central Hebron attacked, destroyed

[Jefferson23]

HEBRON (Ma'an) -- Israeli military authorities in the southern West Bank city of Hebron closed a major checkpoint in the city center after it was targeted and burnt by assailants.

Israeli authorities said that the military post was set alight by two Palestinian youths despite the fact that it had been surrounded by cement blocks in order to protect it against Molotov cocktails and broken bottles.

Emad al-Atrash, a spokesman for the local activist group Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, said that this was the second time locals had burned down the checkpoint, which prevents Palestinians from accessing their homes and shops on Shuhada Street in order to "secure" the area for Jewish settlers.

Al-Atrash said that the last time the checkpoint had been attacked, Israeli authorities closed it to Palestinian traffic entirely, forcing hundreds of local residents who are given permission to pass on the street to travel kilometers to go around the thoroughfare.


http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=741641