In recent months, Israel's police together with the tax authorities have constructed roadblocks in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. Last week, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) petitioned the Supreme Court to order the police to stop using the roadblocks, which it claims have no security value and are aimed solely at collecting taxes in contravention of legal procedures.

ACRI has amassed evidence showing systematic abuse of East Jerusalem residents. The treatment has caused indignity and suffering, as well as major traffic jams and delays by compelling drivers who are stopped to pay tax debts within 30 minutes, or have their vehicles impounded. The petition also alleges discrimination, as no such tax collection checkpoints are ever set up in Jewish neighborhoods. Even in instances where the debts are genuine, Israeli law states that debtors must first receive a written warning in the mail that they are liable to have their possessions seized.

The legal petition cites the case of Dr. Adel Mana, who was stopped on March 7th near Mount Scopus and told that he had 30 minutes to pay a debt of nearly $2,000 or lose his car. He explained that his lawyer had negotiated a settlement and that the debt had been cancelled, but to no avail. The tax representatives refused to accept a check or credit card, and he was forced to go to a bank and return with cash. Three weeks later the tax authorities returned the money to him, which had been mistakenly collected.