For checkpoint and settler attack news, Palestinians tune into the radio

What Happened

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are relying on Basma FM, a Rawabi-based radio station, and WhatsApp/Telegram groups to navigate a sharp increase in Israeli military checkpoints, road closures, and settler attacks on vehicles. Basma FM, which began broadcasting on 2 October 2023, now carries three traffic updates per hour; on one Wednesday bulletin, news presenter Heba Erkat listed conditions at 61 checkpoints, 12 of which were closed or had long queues. The station’s news and traffic director, Fatima Barqawi, said a seven-person team verifies rapid changes with sources. The article states that Palestinian drivers use white-plated vehicles, making them identifiable, and that Israeli soldiers have killed Palestinians near checkpoints after claiming they were conducting ramming attacks, while Israeli settlers often attack Palestinian cars or block them from certain highways. As of December 2025, the UN humanitarian affairs agency OCHA documented 925 barriers across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem — a 43 percent increase over the 20-year annual average of 647. B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, published a report titled 'The Elimination Project' arguing the restrictions deliberately fragment Palestinian life, cutting people off from work, schools, hospitals, and one another.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The intensification of movement restrictions and settler violence compounds the fragmentation of Palestinian communities in the West Bank, disrupting access to work, schools, and hospitals while enabling Israeli highways and settlements to expand. The B'Tselem report frames road closures as part of a systematic assault on Palestinian life, and the surge to 925 barriers indicates a structural shift beyond the wartime spike. Community radio such as Basma FM has become an essential safety tool, reflecting the daily uncertainty and danger Palestinians face.

Watch For

Monitor Basma FM's checkpoint bulletins and OCHA barrier updates for changes in the number and operating hours of roadblocks; any Israeli military announcements on reopening or closing gates; further reports or legal responses to B'Tselem's 'The Elimination Project'; and incidents of settler attacks or checkpoint killings that may trigger Palestinian diplomatic action or US involvement.