The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) expresses serious concern regarding Israel's multiple siege policy on the Palestinian territories. Since late September 2000, Israeli authorities have intensified their siege on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians stranded in various cities, towns, and villages.

Most recently, Israeli authorities have carried out a complete closure on the city of Ramallah, the nucleus of Palestinian economic, political, and social life. Israeli soldiers have closed off the main road from Ramallah to Jerusalem by placing barriers and checkpoints just outside Qalandia refugee camp.

Earlier last week, Israeli soldiers destroyed the main road from Ramallah to Birzeit, leaving 35 Palestinian villages completely isolated from Ramallah and from each other. Israeli soldiers dug 3 different trenches on the main road, making it almost impossible for commuters to travel in and out of Ramallah, and disrupting the education process of Birzeit University, home to almost 5,000 Palestinian students.

Israel's policy of economic and social strangulation is causing serious and irreparable damage on the Palestinian people across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. As a result of the closures, several Palestinian villages and towns are suffering from serious shortages in food and medicine, 274 schools (90,000 students) are unable to operate, basic humanitarian and emergency services have been completely paralyzed from reaching various Palestinian towns and villages, and the very functioning of key Palestinian institutions has been seriously disrupted, posing detrimental effects on the Palestinian nation-building process.

MIFTAH strongly condemns Israel's multiple-siege policy on the Palestinian people, and calls upon the international community to take immediate and concrete steps to end the 'imprisonment of an entire nation'.