Israel shuts Palestinian territories for Sukkot festival
October 03, 2017
JERUSALEM: The Israeli army on Tuesday announced it was closing crossing points from the Palestinian territories for 11 days due to security concerns during the upcoming Jewish festival of Sukkot.
The closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, a frequent measure for major Jewish holidays, would run from midnight Tuesday (2100 GMT), with only emergency cases allowed through, the army said.
The annual Sukkot festival — which lasts one week — commemorates the Jewish journey through the Sinai after their exodus from Egypt.
The holiday will see thousands of worshippers head to the Wailing Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites for Jews, to pray.
The location is close to Islam´s third holiest site, the Haram al-Sharif compound, known to the Jews as the Temple Mount, which was the focus of angry protests in July after Israeli forces limited access over the killing of two police officers.
