On my way back from an EAPPI meeting in Bethlehem this afternoon, I find the IDF has placed cement blocks on the main artery into Ramallah/Al-Bireh from the north, blocking all traffic (March 4, 2014). To the left is Beit El settlement/IDF "Civil" Administration and on the right is Al-Bireh private property. As you can see, just beyond the roadblock the truck entering someone's yard and, closeup, a car exiting someone's yard. This is the path all Palestinian cars had to take today instead of driving a straight line for 50 meters. Thus, the road block blocks no one, it only humiliates Palestinians, destroys our cars, and tears up private yards. You ask why I was entering my hometown from the north...I'm glad you asked. Because the occupation has created a maze of checkpoints, walls, fences, ditches, roadblocks, bypass/settler roads, Palestinian only roads, and Israeli only roads, all causing colossal traffic jams that take us east to go south, north to go west, west to go east, etc. For me today, the 20 minute trip from my home to Bethlehem took 1:50 hrs! Great for GDP growth.