According to Agence France Presse and other sources, the Israeli Defense Forces raided the Ramallah offices of Palnet, the largest ISP in Palestine, last week.

Palnet manager Samir Sabri told AFP that the move left some 10,000 Internet subscribers, about 70% of all Internet users in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, without service. He also noted that these subscribers include academic institutions and university students. These students are often unable to physically attend classes due to the Israeli-imposed curfews in the region.

One is forced to wonder at the motivation of the Israeli forces in cutting off what, under the strict curfews, is often the only access Palestinians have to the outside world. If unfettered access to communications is becoming a basic human right, then the Israeli action seems to be a violation of that right.

For more information: oznik.com, lawsociety.org, or wired.com.