The IDF imposed a general closure on the Palestinian Authority-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria ahead of the holiday of Passover. The closure went into effect as of 11:59 p.m. on Sunday evening, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.
The decision on the closure was made by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon following an assessment of the current situation. It will be removed on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m., pending another assessment of the situation.
During the closure, entry from the PA into Israel will be allowed only in humanitarian, medical and other exceptional cases, all subject to the approval of the Civil Administration.
A general closure is usually imposed on PA-assigned areas at the start of Jewish holidays. The idea behind such a closure is to protect large gatherings of Jews during the holiday from terrorist attacks.
PA Arab terrorists continuously try to enter Jewish communities and harm residents. The latest incident took place this past Friday night, when IDF troops arrested two Arabs as they were approaching the town of Beit El in the Binyamin region.
An IDF spokesman told Arutz Sheva on Saturday evening that “last night two Palestinians were caught under suspicious circumstances at the entrance to Beit El.”
A search of the two suspects found tires and burning materials, said the spokesperson.
The soldiers interrogated the two Arabs and then transferred them to the Israeli police.