B’Tselem issued a report this month—Ground to a Halt: Denial of Palestinians’ Freedom of Movement in the West Bank—on Israeli check-points and security arrangements on West Bank roads. The Israel Justice Ministry’s Department for International Agreements and International Litigation issued a response to the B’Tselem report, challenging its basic assumption that the road restrictions were being used for illegal purposes. "This far-reaching assertion is absolutely baseless," wrote Justice Ministry attorney Hila Tene.

In related news, in an August 15 press release, B’Tselem announced that its recent investigations "reveal that the Israeli army prevents Palestinians from traveling to the northern Dead Sea area…The nature of the restrictions…raises a grave concern that the prohibitions are not grounded on legitimate security needs, but on extraneous reasons that are intended to advance Israeli interests in the occupied territory….B’Tselem calls on the defense authorities to immediately cancel the restrictions on Palestinian movement in the area, including the restrictions on using the beaches and recreational sites in the northern Dead Sea area."  NGO Monitor has previously reported on B’Tselem’s lack of credibility.