Israeli forces installed an iron gate at an entrance of the village of Janata on Thursday, southeast of Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank.

Israeli authorities have given no explanation for the action.

Local activists said that the installation of the gate “aims to restrict the life of Palestinians by closing the gate at any time Israel wants to.”

Israeli army slaps tough cordon on Janata village Via PIC @PalinfoEn https://t.co/93Wvb2553V

— Ali Hussein (@Alihussein_2) July 27, 2017

An Israeli army spokesperson said they were looking into reports.

Palestinian communities are routinely subjected to arbitrary road closures by Israeli military forces for purported “security reasons,” an act which rights groups have denounced as amounting to collective punishment.

(Maan, PC, Social Media)