Israel seals off West Bank for 48 hours
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Israeli army has imposed a general closure over the West Bank for 48 hours, Israel Defense Force said in a statement on Friday.
"In accordance with the directives of Defense Minister Ehud Barak," the army sealed off the Palestinian area at Thursday midnight, and is expected to lift the closure at Saturday midnight, the statement said.
During the closure, the transfer of merchandise will operate regularly, and "persons who will need to pass for humanitarian reasons, including medical patients on way to care, 1,500 medical workers, 1,100 religious workers, 550 teachers and other professional groups will be permitted to cross subject to the authorization of the Civil Administration," the statement added.
The closure was followed by situation assessments of defense establishments, the army said.
The Jewish state routinely imposes a general closure upon the Palestinian territory during holidays. However, it is rare to see a closure implemented over the West Bank at a period other than holidays recent years.
The situation in the region becomes increasingly in a tension after an Israeli regional planning committee approved a 1,600 housing unit project in a Jewish neighborhood across the Green Line in East Jerusalem. The decision has aroused strong condemnation from the Palestinian side, and made the agreement on indirect talks between the two sides, which was announced earlier this week, tumbling.
Jerusalem Police and Border Guard forces has reinforced security in the East Jerusalem since Thursday, Israeli news service the Ynet reported, adding that the entry of Muslims into the Temple Mount (Noble Sanctuary) on Friday is also restricted within men aged 50 or above and women who hold Israeli IDs.
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