Israel has sealed crossings from the occupied West Bank for a week, further limiting Palestinian movement during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the closure on Sunday on the military's recommendation. It is due to remain in force until Saturday.
Israel cited Sukkot as the reason for the measure. The closure has brought tighter controls at checkpoints and barriers, restricting access to religious sites including the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Israeli forces also blocked roads and closed the entrances to Turmus Aya, Aboud, Nabi Saleh, Atara and Taybeh in the Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate on Sunday. Soldiers established checkpoints in Yabroud, Ein Siniya and Jaba, where they searched vehicles and checked identification documents.
The restrictions bar Palestinians holding permits for employment in Israel and its settlements. Entry to Israeli industrial zones in the West Bank is limited to workers considered essential.
The closure comes after a sharp reduction in the number of West Bank Palestinians employed by Israeli employers. Before the war on Gaza began in October 2023, about 160,000 Palestinians from the West Bank worked for Israeli employers. After Israel barred most permit holders from entering, the number had fallen to about 27,300 by mid-2024.
The latest measure takes place amid heightened security controls in Israeli-controlled territory and wider restrictions on Palestinian movement that intensified after the Gaza war began. The information provided does not specify the security concerns behind the military recommendation beyond the Sukkot holiday.
In September 2024, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling on Israel to end its unlawful occupation within a year. The West Bank closure adds a further restriction on travel, worship and access to employment during the period it remains in place.
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