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Israel to impose security cordon on occupied West Bank until Sunday

February 26, 2018 at 12:02 pm

Palestinians stop with their lorries near the Israeli crossing Kerem Shalom, 16 January 2018 [Abed Rahim Khatib/Apaimages]

The Israeli occupation authorities announced on Sunday the imposition of a comprehensive security cordon on the occupied West Bank and the closure of the crossings into the Gaza Strip during the Jewish “Purim” holiday, Quds Press has reported. A spokesperson for the Israeli Army said that the authorities have ordered the cordon to be in place from Tuesday.

While the cordon is in place, he added, only humanitarian and medical cases will be considered for permission to pass through checkpoints — there are more than 600 of them in the West Bank — and the border posts. The closure will end at midnight next Sunday.

Many Jewish holidays impose great difficulties on the Palestinians living under Israel’s military occupation in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and occupied Jerusalem, as these are usually accompanied by such cordons and other restrictive practices. All such abusive and oppressive actions against the Palestinians are justified by “securing the celebrations of the settlers”. Israel’s settlements and settlers are all illegal under international law.

The Israeli measures include the closure of all major roads, setting up military checkpoints and the intensification of the army’s presence, as well as the closure of all crossings around the Gaza Strip, tightening the siege even further.

Read: Israel’s closure of Gaza crossings slammed as ‘collective punishment’