These things always remind you that you are a third-class citizen, and even less, and they always remind you that you have no control over what might happen. Whatever my position was regarding the kidnapping, or whatever I think about these actions, or the kidnappers or those taken, there is no proportionality in the Israeli policies. They generalize everything, their punishments are not proportional they apply to all. Every Palestinian is responsible for anything that happens in Palestine.” Resident of Bethlehem with Hebron ID Interview: 1 November 2016 The official objective of the closure was to find and release the three kidnapped Israeli youth as well as undermining Hamas infrastructure in the area.163 However, the widespread restrictions imposed on Palestinians during this Israeli military operation were disproportionate and unnecessary violations of the fundamental rights of Palestinians according to international law, and constitute collective punishment against the residents of Hebron, and the West Bank more generally. This collective punishment was denounced by the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC), numerous Israeli and international human rights organizations, as well as UN agencies.164 Punitive Revocation of Permits With more than 100 different types of permits in 2015, the Israeli permit regime infiltrates all aspects of Palestinians’ lives.165 They regulate and interfere with various facets of life, such as; the freedom of movement within and out of Palestine, work, development, and transporting goods and assets. As such, obtaining and keeping these permits is important for Palestinians, and this is why Israel often uses their revocation as a form of collective punishment and deterrence. Israel uses the permit regime as a means of control and subjugation of Palestinians, either by forcing them to request or by threatening to revoke permits. The revocation furthers the wide range of unbearable and daily constraints targeting Palestinians such as the denial of freedom of movement, access to work, or the right to religious freedom. 163 Ibid. 164 Lawyers for Palestinian human rights, Letter to Mr. William Hague MP, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, 24 June 2014. Available at: http://lphr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/LPHR-letterto-UK-Foreign-Secretary-Operation-Brothers-Keeper-24-June-20141.pdf; Letter to Mr. Mosge Ya’alon, Israeli Minister of Defense, and Mr. Yitzhak Aharonovich, Israeli Minister of Public Security. Available at: http://www.hamoked.org/files/2014/1158420_eng.pdf; OCHA oPt, Protection of civilians, op. cit., 17-23 June 2014 165 Chaim Levinson, Israel has 101 different types of permits governing Palestinian movement, Haaretz, 26 June 2014. Available at: www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-has-101-differenttypes-ofpermits-governing-palestinian-movement-1.403039 44