OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced the closure of the West Bank, until new order, in occasion of the Jewish ‘Sukkot’ (Tabernacles) holiday, which begins this evening at sunset and ends on October 3.

For the entire period, border passes will only be open for urgent humanitarian cases. Journalists will not be allowed to cross the Eretz border pass between Israel and the Gaza Strip, but will be able to freely enter and exit the West Bank.

“In light of the significant terror threat during the Jewish holiday, a general closure will be implemented during the holiday period”, indicates the IDF statement.

The Gaza Strip, another Palestinian enclave, has in reality been isolated since September 19, when the Israeli government defined it an “enemy entity” because it's under the control of the Islamic Hamas movement.

Meanwhile, violence continues between the sides. An IDF spokesman referred that its air force destroyed two Qassam rocket-launchers in Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip. From Gaza, a spokesman for the Ezzedin al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed an attack launched in direction of the Kissufim kibbutz, not far from the border.