Israel steps up its dehumanisation of Palestinians with new biometric checkpoints in the West Bank

Israel has been quietly implementing artificial intelligence hardware at checkpoints in the West Bank.

Palestinians with permits to enter Israel are now required to scan their biometric ID cards and faces upon returning.

Israel limits access out of the West Bank to those with permits. This “permit regime,” as experts call it, is intended to control the Palestinian population under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.

If a Palestinian with a green West Bank ID wishes to enter Israel, they must apply for a permit and provide a justification — typically for a consular or medical appointment or for work. The Israel Civil Administration decides whether to grant the permit.

Following October 7, Israel nearly cut off access for Palestinians wishing to enter Israel from the West Bank. The 150,000 Palestinians employed inside Israel or in Israeli settlements were immediately left without jobs, and those seeking medical treatment faced significant delays in permit approval.

This situation has devastated Palestine’s economy. Wages from Israel, often double those in the West Bank, had injected cash into the West Bank; without this income, businesses lost customers and were forced to close or limit their hours.

According to reports by Jewish News Syndicate, thousands of Palestinians are now forced to enter Israel illegally through gaps in the wall. The punishment for entering Israel illegally can be up to six months in prison. 

Collective punishment 

Since October 7, conditions in Israel’s prisons have deteriorated rapidly, which some view as a form of collective punishment in the West Bank.

The consequences of such an arrest can be severe, including being barred from applying for permits in the future and increased surveillance.

In early July, Israel arrested 13 Palestinians at a checkpoint out of Jerusalem for entering Israel illegally.

The Palestinians, mostly men, were forced to kneel on the ground with their hands behind their backs while they were harassed by Israeli soldiers.

This mass arrest was allegedly part of Israel's efforts to crack down on illegal entry, which critics argue is a consequence of the restrictions on freedom of movement in and out of the Occupied Territories.

Simultaneously, Israel quietly implemented a new biometric monitoring system at checkpoints in and out of the West Bank.

Those with access to entry permits are now required to submit to biometric monitoring upon return.

Everyone entering Israel from the West Bank passes through lanes capable of collecting biometric data. However, those with permits must now undergo monitoring both upon entry and exit.

The Civil Administration's website mentions an option for Palestinians to purchase a biometric ID card, which "is used together with various entry permits."

Ahmed, a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship, noted that those with permits have no choice but to scan: "You have to," he said.

Violation of Palestinian digital rights

Although not publicly announced by the Civil Administration — the Israeli body responsible for administering checkpoints and entry permits — MadEye Technology was reportedly tasked with designing and installing the hardware.

The company claims on its website that the technology "incorporates precision face recognition technology into an ergonomic computer peripheral."

Eyal Dafni, about whom little is known, owns the Israeli company. According to public filings, the company is registered to a residential address in Netanya, Israel, and lists the Israeli Defence Forces and Israel National Cyber Directorate as its clients.

Despite being only three years old and not disclosing any sources of funding, MadEye was contracted to install facial recognition software at all checkpoints in and out of the West Bank.

As confirmed in MadEye’s filings, the software can scan fingerprints, retinas, and palms. Israel has not disclosed how it intends to use the data collected with the hardware.

In 2021, it was revealed that Israel was using Blue Wolf, an artificial intelligence technology designed to monitor and classify Palestinians at checkpoints in Hebron.

Each Palestinian was assigned a number, and their biometrics were collected at checkpoints or through encounters with soldiers.

A file was created to assign risk levels and mark certain Palestinians for additional monitoring.

The technology has been widely condemned by human rights organisations. Amnesty International has documented Israel’s use of biometric monitoring in Hebron and occupied East Jerusalem, calling it a crime of apartheid.

While Israel long could collect biometric data at checkpoints, this is the first time it has publicly acknowledged augmenting its surveillance across the Occupied Territories with artificial intelligence.

Nadim Nashif, director of 7amleh, an organisation advocating for Palestinians’ digital rights, said, “The installation of artificial intelligence technology at checkpoints in the West Bank poses significant risks, as it can lead to increased surveillance and control over Palestinians, violating their digital rights and specifically their right to privacy, and contributing to the violation of their freedom of movement.”

Though little is known about the technology, it represents another attempt by Israel to collect data on Palestinians to enhance its security operations.

Theia Chatelle is an experienced conflict correspondent based in Ramallah. She writes for Al Jazeera and The Nation and is pursuing an M.A. in American Studies at Yale University. Outside of her work, she enjoys mountaineering and speaks several languages fluently