General Strike Paralyzes West Bank over Prisoner Law

A sweeping general strike brought daily life across the West Bank to a near standstill, as Palestinians protested a controversial Israeli law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners.

Public and private institutions, banks, universities, and schools shut down, while hospitals and bakeries remained open as exceptions. Streets in Ramallah, the administrative center of the Palestinian Authority, were largely deserted, with shops and businesses closed throughout the city.

The strike followed a call by Fatah, which urged widespread participation in opposition to the law passed by the Knesset earlier this week.

Fatah said the protest aimed to pressure authorities to overturn the legislation, describing it as a dangerous escalation and a measure targeting the Palestinian people as a whole.

The group also called for broader public mobilization and increased regional and international pressure to halt the implementation of the law.

The legislation has sparked widespread backlash, triggering protests and condemnation both locally and internationally.