Jerusalem – The Israeli military says it will prevent Palestinians from crossing into Israel from the West Bank during the Jewish new year because of security concerns.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
It said the closure Sunday would remain in place for the duration of Rosh Hashanah, which ends Tuesday night, but that humanitarian cases would be allowed in.
Israel has imposed similar holiday closures in recent years, fearing militant attacks during the religious festival, when thousands of visitors flock to the Holy Land.
A wave of Palestinian attacks that began this time last year has killed 34 Israelis and 2 visiting Americans. Around 218 Palestinians died during that period. Israel says the vast majority of them were attackers, but the Palestinians and rights groups have accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force.
Ah, if the State of Israel could only make this permanent – and include so called humanitarian cases (which are only another way to smuggle terrorists and arms into the country).
But the Israelis are very machmir when it comes to “kechol hagoyim.”