Israel has created an artificial fuel shortage in the occupied West Bank through border controls, restrictions on currency transfers and barriers to geographic movement, the report says. All fuel used in the West Bank is imported from Israel, giving Israeli authorities full control over the supply system.

Palestinians mainly use the Israeli shekel because they have no currency of their own. Under the stated arrangement, Israel’s central bank is required to take back excess cash held by Palestinians, but Israeli authorities have recently refused to accept cash deposits from Palestinian banks. As a result, businesses cannot use banking channels to pay for essential goods such as fuel despite having sufficient money.

The report says new roads linking illegal Israeli settlements have cut Palestinian cities off from main roads. Palestinians are forced to take longer routes, while hundreds of vehicles face severe congestion at Israeli military checkpoints. Longer journeys and extended engine use have sharply increased fuel consumption. Analysts cited in the report link the measures to Israel’s upcoming election and say right-wing politicians use checkpoint scenes to appeal to voters while worsening Palestinian hardship.