Latest news with #Rawabi
Malay Mail
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
On the radio and online: How Palestinians navigate Israel's West Bank roadblocks with live traffic updates and real-time reports
RAWABI (Palestinian Territories), July 8 — Radio presenter Hiba Eriqat broadcasts an unusual kind of traffic reports to her Palestinian listeners grappling with ever-increasing Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks across the occupied West Bank. 'Deir Sharaf: traffic, Qalandia: open, Container: closed,' Eriqat reads out from drivers' live reports, enumerating checkpoints to let listeners know which of the West Bank's hundreds of checkpoints and gates are open, busy with traffic, or closed by the Israeli military. 'My mission is to help Palestinian citizens get home safely,' she told AFP in the radio studio in the city of Rawabi between her thrice-hourly broadcasts. 'Covering traffic in the West Bank is completely different from covering traffic anywhere else in the world.' The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has long been dotted with checkpoints, but obstacles to Palestinians' movement in the territory have proliferated since the 2023 start of the war in Gaza — a separate territory. In the West Bank, a territory roughly the size of the US state of Delaware, there are hundreds of new checkpoints and gates, but Israeli authorities do not provide updates about their status. 'The army might suddenly close a checkpoint, and the traffic jam would last an hour. Or they might just show up and then withdraw seconds later, and the checkpoint is cleared', Eriqat said. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in early 2025 there were 849 obstacles restricting the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, including checkpoints, road gates, earth walls, trenches and roadblocks. Radio presenter Hiba Eriqat broadcasts an unusual kind of traffic reports to her Palestinian listeners grappling with ever-increasing Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks across the occupied West Bank. — AFP pic 'Not a regular jam' To navigate, Palestinians often rely on minute-by-minute updates from drivers on WhatsApp and Telegram groups, some of which were created by Basma Radio to feed Eriqat's broadcasts. 'We turned to taxi drivers, truck drivers, private companies and even ordinary people,' said Eriqat, to create the West Bank's only traffic report of its kind. The updates were launched in October 2023 — the same month the Gaza war broke out — and are now broadcast by other Palestinian radio stations too. A Telegram group run by Basma Radio now has some 16,000 members. Fatima Barqawi, who runs news programmes at the station, said the team had created 'contact networks with people on the roads', also receiving regular updates from Palestinians who live near checkpoints and can see the traffic from their window. Beyond the restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities, the traffic reports sometimes feature warnings about roads blocked by Israeli settlers, whose attacks against Palestinians have also risen throughout the war. It is a constantly shifting roadscape, Eriqat said, complicating even what otherwise should have been a quick drive to work, home or to see family and friends. 'You might tell people the checkpoint is open now, but three minutes later, it's jammed again. And it's not a regular jam — it could last six or seven hours,' she said. Settler attacks and soldiers' 'mood' Maen, a 28-year-old video editor, used to tune in to Basma Radio to plan his weekly commute from Ramallah to his hometown of Bethlehem, but now prefers checking what other drivers have to say. 'I often call a friend who has Telegram while I'm on the road' and ask for updates from checkpoints, said Mazen, who asked to use his first name only for security reasons. He has deleted Telegram from his own phone after hearing about Palestinians getting into trouble with soldiers at checkpoints over the use of the messaging app. But in a sign of its popularity, one group in which drivers share their updates has 320,000 members — more than one-tenth of the West Bank's population. Israeli security forces close off a road leading to the site of a reported attack on a car belonging to Israeli settlers near Rawabi, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, December 18, 2023. — AFP pic Rami, an NGO worker living in Ramallah who also declined to give his full name, said he listened to the radio traffic reports but mainly relied on Telegram groups. Yet a safe journey is far from guaranteed. Rami told AFP he recently had to stop on the way to his hometown of Nablus. 'I pulled over, checked the news and saw that 100 settlers had gathered at a settlement's road junction and started throwing stones at Palestinian cars', recognisable by their green license plates, he said. And passing through a military checkpoint often 'depends on the soldier's mood', said Eriqat. 'That's the difficult part.' — AFP
Arab News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
On the radio and online, Palestinians keep up with Israel's West Bank roadblocks
RAWABI: Radio presenter Hiba Eriqat broadcasts an unusual kind of traffic reports to her Palestinian listeners grappling with ever-increasing Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks across the occupied West Bank. 'Deir Sharaf: traffic, Qalandia: open, Container: closed,' Eriqat reads out from drivers' live reports, enumerating checkpoints to let listeners know which of the West Bank's hundreds of checkpoints and gates are open, busy with traffic, or closed by the Israeli military. 'My mission is to help Palestinian citizens get home safely,' she told AFP in the radio studio in the city of Rawabi between her thrice-hourly broadcasts. 'Covering traffic in the West Bank is completely different from covering traffic anywhere else in the world.' The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has long been dotted with checkpoints, but obstacles to Palestinians' movement in the territory have proliferated since the 2023 start of the war in Gaza — a separate territory. In the West Bank, a territory roughly the size of the US state of Delaware, there are hundreds of new checkpoints and gates, but Israeli authorities do not provide updates about their status. 'The army might suddenly close a checkpoint, and the traffic jam would last an hour. Or they might just show up and then withdraw seconds later, and the checkpoint is cleared,' Eriqat said. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in early 2025 there were 849 obstacles restricting the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, including checkpoints, road gates, earth walls, trenches and roadblocks. Updates on WhatsApp groups To navigate, Palestinians often rely on minute-by-minute updates from drivers on WhatsApp and Telegram groups, some of which were created by Basma Radio to feed Eriqat's broadcasts. 'We turned to taxi drivers, truck drivers, private companies and even ordinary people,' said Eriqat, to create the West Bank's only traffic report of its kind. The updates were launched in October 2023 — the same month the Gaza war broke out — and are now broadcast by other Palestinian radio stations too. A Telegram group run by Basma Radio now has some 16,000 members. Fatima Barqawi, who runs news programs at the station, said the team had created 'contact networks with people on the roads,' also receiving regular updates from Palestinians who live near checkpoints and can see the traffic from their window. Beyond the restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities, the traffic reports sometimes feature warnings about roads blocked by Israeli settlers, whose attacks against Palestinians have also risen throughout the war. It is a constantly shifting roadscape, Eriqat said, complicating even what otherwise should have been a quick drive to work, home or to see family and friends. 'You might tell people the checkpoint is open now, but three minutes later, it's jammed again. And it's not a regular jam — it could last six or seven hours,' she said. Safe journey 'not guaranteed' Maen, a 28-year-old video editor, used to tune in to Basma Radio to plan his weekly commute from Ramallah to his hometown of Bethlehem, but now prefers checking what other drivers have to say. 'I often call a friend who has Telegram while I'm on the road' and ask for updates from checkpoints, said Mazen, who asked to use his first name only for security reasons. He has deleted Telegram from his own phone after hearing about Palestinians getting into trouble with soldiers at checkpoints over the use of the messaging app. But in a sign of its popularity, one group in which drivers share their updates has 320,000 members — more than one-tenth of the West Bank's population. Rami, an NGO worker living in Ramallah who also declined to give his full name, said he listened to the radio traffic reports but mainly relied on Telegram groups. Yet a safe journey is far from guaranteed. Rami told AFP he recently had to stop on the way to his hometown of Nablus. 'I pulled over, checked the news and saw that 100 settlers had gathered at a settlement's road junction and started throwing stones at Palestinian cars,' recognizable by their green license plates, he said. And passing through a military checkpoint often 'depends on the soldier's mood,' said Eriqat. 'That's the difficult part.'
Qatar Tribune
28-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Rawabi Hypermarket launches ‘Win One Million' campaign
Satyendra Pathak Doha Rawabi Hypermarket has launched one of its most exciting and rewarding customer campaigns to date — the 'Win One Million' campaign, set to run from May 26 to December 31, 2025, across all Rawabi outlets in Qatar. This grand initiative will see 528 lucky winners walk away with incredible prizes, culminating in a Mega Draw on January 1, 2026. Customers spending QR50 or more at any Rawabi Hypermarket will automatically receive a digital e-raffle coupon via SMS, ensuring a completely paperless and seamless participation process. Among the 528 lucky winners, three will drive away with the grand prize – the GWM TANK 500 SUV. Additionally, 35 winners will receive Rawabi shopping vouchers worth QR3,000, 75 winners will receive vouchers worth QR2,000, 140 winners will be awarded QR1,000 vouchers, and 280 winners will take home vouchers worth QR500. Monthly digital draws will be held from June to December 2025, selecting 75 winners each month for shopping vouchers. The campaign will conclude with a mega draw on January 1, 2026, where the top winners, including the SUV recipients, will be announced. Commenting on the campaign, Rawabi Group Managing Director Mohammed Abdulla said, 'Our customers are at the core of everything we do. The 'Win One Million' campaign is our heartfelt way of thanking them for their continued loyalty and support. With exciting rewards and a fully digital, hassle-free experience, we aim to elevate every customer's journey with Rawabi while reaffirming our commitment to exceptional service and unmatched value.' Consistently at the forefront of Qatar's retail landscape, Rawabi Hypermarket remains dedicated to community-focused initiatives and customer-first experiences. From weekly promotions to festive celebrations, Rawabi continues to offer a distinctive shopping experience across a wide range of categories — from groceries and electronics to home essentials, fashion, and more — all at unbeatable prices. In addition to the exciting raffle campaign, Rawabi Hypermarket is fully geared up for the upcoming Eid season with a host of exclusive festive offers. Shoppers can take advantage of special Buy 2 Get 1 Free deals on a wide selection of garments, footwear, and ladies' bags, showcasing the latest trends at unbeatable prices. Adding to the seasonal celebrations is the much-anticipated Jackfruit Festival — a treat for jackfruit enthusiasts. The festival features over 18 unique varieties of jackfruit, specially sourced from India, Uganda, and Thailand. Some of the most sought-after varieties include Ayoor Jack, Sindhoor Varikka, Kabodiyal Nadan Varikka, Then Varikka, Disabar Honey, Muttan Varikka, Super Harli, Bunrotti, Puthukot, Jackfruit Uganda, Lotus, Chalakkudi, and Tender varieties. 'Customers are invited to visit any Rawabi Hypermarket outlet, spend QR50 or more, and be part of this thrilling digital raffle experience. At Rawabi, shopping is more than just a purchase — it's a chance to celebrate, save, and win big,' Rawabi Hypermarket said in a statement issued on theoccasion.
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Traps West Bank Palestinians Between Checkpoints, Gates
From early morning to late at night, local radio stations in the West Bank offer a service akin to weather or currency updates elsewhere: live 'crossings' reports. But here, they serve a grimmer purpose, helping Palestinians navigate a maze of Israeli military checkpoints that can make a routine trip a matter of life or death. 'The northern entrance to al-Bireh is closed in both directions. The Atara-Birzeit gate is shut. Heavy traffic and inspections at the Atara village gates. Rawabi entrance is open. Ein Siniya is clear. Traffic jam and inspections between Yabrud and Silwad.' The broadcast goes on, listing over a dozen closures, bottlenecks, and military checkpoints. Since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched a deadly military campaign in Gaza and stepped-up operations across the West Bank, residents have grown accustomed to checking the radio before stepping out — not for rain or sun, but for which roads are open, and which are militarized. For many Palestinians, every journey now begins with a calculation: which route is less likely to end in detention, injury, or worse. Some simply stay home, avoiding the uncertainty and humiliation altogether. The network of closures has turned normal life into a logistical nightmare. Key junctions like the Container checkpoint near Bethlehem and Hamra in the Jordan Valley are often closed in both directions, while entrances to towns such as Salfit, Dura, Sa'ir, and al-Arroub are blocked entirely. Even areas with relatively light congestion, like al-Nashash or Kalandia checkpoint, can see delays due to sudden inspections or shifting policies. The consequences of these restrictions can be deadly. Palestinians still recall the killing of 29-year-old Mohammad al-Jundi, who was shot near a newly erected checkpoint in Beit Jala. Witnesses say he had stepped forward to help an elderly woman open a locked gate, a simple act of kindness that cost him his life. 'They executed him in the middle of the street,' one local resident said. What was meant to be a brief walk home turned into an irreversible tragedy, one emblematic of a broader reality in which daily travel through the West Bank is anything but routine. Mahmoud al-Azza left his home in Bethlehem early, hoping to make it to his university classes in the nearby town of Abu Dis. Instead, he found himself stuck in a long line of cars at the Container checkpoint - one of the most notorious in the West Bank, dividing its northern and southern regions. Al-Azza quickly realized he would miss his first lecture. Still, he clung to the hope of attending the rest. But three hours passed, then five. He was trapped, along with hundreds of others, unable to move forward or turn back. Prisoners in their own vehicles, waiting for a soldier's whim. 'I thought I might have to delay my semester,' al-Azza told Asharq Al-Awsat. 'The problem is that this happens every day now. They close the checkpoint at random times for one, two, even three hours. We just stand there, waiting for a soldier to feel like letting us through. It's humiliating, exhausting.' Before October 7, 2023, such disruptions occurred sporadically, al-Azza said. Now they are constant. 'Every hour, every day, they either shut the checkpoints entirely or inspect each car slowly, checking every ID. It's as if they're doing it on purpose, to humiliate us. We can't take it anymore.' The Container checkpoint is one of hundreds of roadblocks and iron gates scattered across the occupied West Bank, a system Israel has built up since 1967 and expanded drastically since October 7, 2023, when war erupted in Gaza and security tightened across the West Bank. A Landscape of Barriers According to the Palestinian Authority's Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, there are now 898 Israeli military checkpoints and iron gates across the West Bank. Of those, 146 were added after October 7, and 18 more were installed in just the first five months of 2025. 'These include old, new, permanent, and rotating barriers,' said Amir Daoud, Director of Documentation and Publication at the commission. 'It reflects a consistent Israeli policy, one of systematic closure and control since 1967.' The tightening web of checkpoints across the occupied West Bank is not just a security measure, but a strategic reconfiguration of Palestinian space, aimed at fragmentation and control, according to Palestinian officials. 'What we are witnessing today is unprecedented,' said Daoud. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Daoud accused Israel of attempting to impose a new spatial reality on Palestinians, one that overrides familiar roads and territories with a framework of closures, surveillance, and exclusion. Since October 7, 2023 - the date that marked the start of Israel's war on Gaza and a sweeping parallel crackdown in the West Bank - gates have become the defining feature of the Israeli occupation's infrastructure, Daoud said. 'Before October 7, the closure system generally targeted large geographic zones, isolating the north from the south, for example. Today, it operates differently. The focus is on isolating individual communities, like villages. That's a new pattern.' Daoud also raised alarm over the changing character of Israeli forces manning the checkpoints. 'Previously, the soldiers were regular army personnel, trained to some extent, with at least minimal instruction to abide by international law,' he said. 'Now, we are seeing militias, including members of the religious Zionist movement and others who are openly driven by ideology and vengeance. They are not there to maintain order; they are there to punish. They are imposing an oppressive environment designed to break the will of the people.' Israeli military checkpoints have now encircled virtually every Palestinian town and village in the occupied West Bank, transforming daily life into a tightly regulated existence defined by gates and roadblocks. In Hebron alone, there are 229 checkpoints. Ramallah has 156, and Bethlehem 65, a network that includes iron gates sealing off entire villages and refugee camps, effectively turning them into open-air prisons. For many Palestinians, especially those living in gated communities, life has become a series of negotiations with steel barriers. Residents must plan their work, education, and even medical appointments around the unpredictable opening times of these gates.
Fox News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Harvard dean's council member resigns from post after lawsuit claims he 'aided and abetted' Hamas
A member of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Dean's Council has resigned from his position after he was sued last week by nearly 200 family members of Americans killed in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on Israeli concert-goers. According to the lawsuit, Bashar Masri, a Palestinian American billionaire, is accused of "aiding and abetting" Hamas by helping the terror group build tunnels and rocket launch sites, as well as allowing top Hamas leaders to use his facilities at his properties in Gaza. Masri resigned from his Harvard post in the wake of the allegations. The Kennedy School of Government confirmed his resignation in an email to Fox News Digital on Thursday. "Following conversations with the Kennedy School of Government, Bashar Masri has stepped down from his role on the Dean's Council, while he seeks the dismissal of the false allegations made against him," Masri's office told Fox News Digital. "Neither he nor any businesses associated with him have ever engaged in unlawful activity or provided support for violence and militancy," the statement said. "Bashar Masri has been involved in development and humanitarian work for decades. His continued efforts to promote regional peace and stability have been widely recognized by the United States and all concerns parties in the region. He unequivocally opposes violence of any kind." The lawsuit paints a different picture. "Masri and the companies he controls—including Defendants Palestine Development & Investment Company ("PADICO"), Palestine Real Estate Investment Company ("PRICO"), and Palestinian Industrial Estate Development Company ("PIEDCO")—developed and operated prime properties in Gaza for outwardly legitimate purposes," the lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on April 7, reads. READ THE LAWSUIT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: "But in reality, they were also used to construct and conceal Hamas's attack tunnels, store and launch its rockets at Israel, host Hamas leadership and foot soldiers, train Hamas naval commandos—and even to produce electricity for Hamas's attack tunnel infrastructure," according to the suit. "Just prior to the October 7 Attack, Masri even installed an individual closely tied to Hamas as Chairman of PIEDCO." That leader was identified in the lawsuit as Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip of Hamas in the Gaza Strip beginning in 2017, whom the lawsuit alleges used Masri's luxury seaside hotels "to host public and private Hamas events." The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) killed Sinwar last October. Masri is the man behind the $350 million Rawabi project, an effort to create the first modern industrial area in the West Bank. The lawsuit alleges that that project was mostly funded by a Qatari state-owned real estate investment firm. "In 2018 he established and currently funds the graduate Rawabi Fellowship for Leaders from Palestine at the Harvard University Kennedy School. This fellowship program provides tuition, health insurance, and stipends for Palestinian graduate students at Harvard," the lawsuit says. The Gaza Industrial Estate (GIE), is described as the "crown jewel" of Masri's developments, which the lawsuit says was financed through Masri's companies with money from USAID, the United Nations, the European Union, and more recently, the International Finance Company (IFC) in Washington. "In developing the GIE, Masri and the other Defendants worked directly, openly, and knowingly with senior Hamas leaders, including, in the months before the October 7 Attack, the Hamas official in charge of the development of Hamas's military-industrial base in Gaza," the lawsuit says. According to the lawsuit, while GIE appeared to be a totally legitimate company that manufactured products to meet the needs of ordinary people, it was very closely tied to Hamas terror, saying that "…Masri and the companies he controls worked with Hamas to construct and conceal an elaborate subterranean attack tunnel network which Hamas used to burrow under the border into Israel, to attack nearby Israeli communities, and to ambush Israeli military personnel." The suit claims that GIE was used to "probe the border fence and test the IDF's response times and countermeasures in the lead up to the October 7 Attack," and that "Hamas even installed an anti-tank battery in one of the GIE's water towers facing the border." Masri's office called the complaint "baseless." "He was shocked to learn through the media that a baseless complaint was filed today referring to false allegations against him and certain businesses he is associated with," his office told Fox News Digital. "Neither he nor those entities have ever engaged in unlawful activity or provided support for violence and militancy."
