Israel to close Gaza, West Bank crossings ahead of election

Israeli authorities declared that all crossings in to the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be closed from midnight tonight until midnight on Wednesday, as Israelis prepare to head to the polls.

Entry to Israel for all Israeli-issued permit holders will be banned, excluding humanitarian and medical cases, the announcement continued.

Israelis are due to elect a new government and prime minister today with polling stations set to be open between 07:00 and 22:00 local time [04:00 and 19:00 GMT].

READ: Netanyahu vows to annex West Bank after Israeli polls 

Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz are leading in the polls. As a result of Israel’s election system, every government is a coalition and whoever wins tomorrow’s election will be tasked with bringing together other parties to work together in the new administration.

Israel regularly closes the crossings in to the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip, claiming this is for its security needs. This however further stifles the Palestinian economy as imports and exports cannot be moved in to the areas, and also means Palestinians who have work permits allowing them to enter Israel cannot attend work and lose out on their income, they are not compensated for the loss in earnings.