Israel closes West Bank, Gaza for 11 days for holiday

By Kaamil Ahmed

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel has imposed a drastic 11-day closure of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip starting Wednesday for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

While closures during Jewish holidays are routine, hardline Defense Minister Avidgor Lieberman made the unusual order to close the Palestinian territories through the whole of the long Sukkot holiday, citing security concerns.

COGAT, the Israeli military authority for the occupied territories, said in a statement the decision was made in light of an attack last week when a Palestinian man killed three security guards, and then was shot dead by security forces, outside the Har Adar settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza will only be allowed to travel through Israeli checkpoints for humanitarian or medical emergencies.