clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Israel to close crossing to West Bank, Gaza during election

February 28, 2020 at 5:00 pm

Palestinians protest against the closure of the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip and the Israeli blockade on the territory, on 24 January 2019 in Rafah [SAID KHATIB / AFP / Getty]

Occupation authorities will be closing all crossings between Israel and the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip on Monday as general elections are held in the country.

“A general closure will be imposed on the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip crossings will be closed as of Monday 02.03.2020, according to the assessment of the security situation and the approval of the political authorities,” a statement said.

The closure will go into effect at midnight on Monday and end 24 hours later. They will reopen during their normal operational hours on Tuesday, the statement said.

US’ Sanders: ‘We cannot ignore the needs of the Palestinian people’

During the closure, only humanitarian, medical and exceptional cases will be allowed to pass through the crossings.

Israel is due to hold its third election in under a year in an effort to form a coalition government and end months of deadlock.

Analysts have said that this poll will end with a similar outcome to the previous two which were held in April and September last year, when no government could be formed by the leading parties; Likud and the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan).