In pictures: Al-Sowaneh checkpoint in Jerusalem: Harassment and provocative searches
Dozens of Jerusalemites were exposed to provocative searching procedures last Saturday at Al-Sowaneh checkpoint in Jerusalem while soldiers assaulted a paramedic from the Red Crescent and another young man.
Despite the rainy weather and coldness in Jerusalem, the occupation still forces many young men and children to life up their clothes and take off their shoes while passing through Al-Sowaneh checkpoint under the pretext of “searching”. This type of assault occurred in the morning and afternoon hours.
A group of young men were also detained at the checkpoint and were forces to raise their hands while being searched; they were detained under the rain for nearly 20 minutes.
The occupation forces stationed at Al-Sowaneh checkpoint deliberately conducted precise searches to vehicles in the morning hours when students were heading to school and workers and employees heading to work which created heavy traffic jams for more than two hours.
Assault
The occupation forces at the checkpoint assaulted on Saturday a young man and a paramedic from the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC).
PRC explained that that the forces assaulted one young man and when a paramedic attempted to provide help with medical aid, the forces forced him to stay away and confiscated his cell phone; he was also assaulted and pushed. When the young man was transferred to the ambulance, he was chased and assaulted again.
Al-Sowaneh checkpoint
The occupation forces established a checkpoint in the neighborhood of Al-Sowaneh in mid October and placed cement blocks and a searching station in the main street of the neighborhood only meters away from the PRC, Ibrahimyeh School and Al-Awa’el kindergarten which will obstruct the traffic in the area especially in cases of emergency.
It is noteworthy that the main street is the street leading to the village of Al-Tur where Al-Maqased and Augusta Victoria hospitals are located. There are also two hotels (Mount of Olives and Seven Arches) and 11 schools including one for special needs.
