Settler filmed blocking sole entrance to Palestinian town as soldier looks on

Footage from early this morning shows an Israeli settler closing a military-installed gate and throwing large stones on the concrete to prevent Palestinian vehicles from passing through the lone remaining entrance to the northern West Bank town of Salfit.

The IDF has blocked off all other entrances to Salfit and has erected countless yellow gates — like the one seen in the clip — to shut down roads across the West Bank over the past year for what it says are security purposes. The roadblocks and checkpoints have caused massive congestion throughout the territory where commutes for millions of Palestinians that once took 15 to 30 minutes now regularly take several hours.

יאסוף, נפת סלפית. בוקר בדרך לעוד יום עבודה. מתנחל סוגר את היציאה היחידה מהכפר לכיוון סלפית.

המפקד בשטח – המתנחל. הצבא מציית בהרכנת ראש. הבוקר זה סגירת שער ומניעת יציאה, מהכפר. בדרך כלל גניבה, חבלות ואפילו הצתת בתים על יושביהם. עומדים מנגד.

עוד יום בממלכת האפרטהייד ושירות… pic.twitter.com/wbiDZnFQUV

— מסתכלים לכיבוש בעיניים (@Mistaclim) June 10, 2025

The IDF allows the yellow gate in Salfit to be opened for just two hours in the morning and two hours at night, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

But this morning, a settler from a nearby illegal outpost appears to decide on his own that the gate will be closed.

A soldier is seen standing by without reacting, as the settler closes the gate, stranding Palestinian vehicles indefinitely.

The Yesh Din rights group says that the footage is “further evidence of who determines and implements Israeli policy in the West Bank: the settlers lead, while the army watches and enables.”