Tag: Jewish holiday

Total closure of West Bank for Passover holiday

Another Jewish holiday, another total closure of the West Bank (for Palestinians only — Israeli settlers can come and go as they please…)

Early this morning the Israeli Defense Ministry announced a total closure of the West Bank from Sunday through Tuesday, at the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday which starts at sundown on Monday.

A few hours later, the total closure was extended until the end of the Passover holiday – on 6 April …

Strict restrictions are being enforced by Israeli police against Palestinians trying to enter not only the Haram ash-Sharif mosque esplanade (the Temple Mount) where Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock are situated — but also against Palestinian entry into the entire Old City.

Meanwhile, Palestinian protesters marched through the main Bethlehem checkpoint after surprising the Israeli Border Police, but were stopped and blocked a little bit further up the road to Jerusalem.  It had been previously announced that Palestinian Christians would attempt to reach Christian churches and institutions in Jerusalem — without applying for an Israeli permit.

Some of the arrested Palestinians remain in detention on Sunday night…

Another GENERAL CLOSURE of the West Bank for the 10-day Jewish holiday of Succot

Acording to the Jerusalem Post, a general closure will be implemented in “Judea and Samaria” (the West Bank) for ten days, starting from midnight tonight, for the Succot holiday: “For the duration of the closure, persons in need of medical attention will be permitted to pass for care. The passage of humanitarian aid as well as doctors, medical personnel, NGO members, lawyers, religious workers and additional professional groups will be authorized by the District Coordination and Liaison office. The closure will begin on Thursday at 11:59 pm and end on Saturday October 10 at 11:59 pm. The defense minister’s decision was made in accordance with the IDF’s security evaluation of the area”. This JPost report can be read in full here.

On top of that, the IDF is imposing very tight security restrictions on Jerusalem on Friday, the beginning of the Succot holiday — and also the day that the chief Palestinian Islamic Court Judge Sheikh Taysir Tamimi has called for a demonstration in defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque to follow the regular Friday prayers. According to the restrictions, men will only be admitted to the Haram ash-Sharif where the Friday prayers will be performed at Al-Aqsa if they are over the age of 50, and have Israeli ID (citizens and permanent residents of East Jerusalem, presumably). There will also be a heavy police and Border Police presence at all entrances and main intersections in the city.

However, lush palm fronds are being imported from Gaza to cover the roofs of the Succot huts that Jewish families build outside their homes to commemorate the Biblical account of the Jewish tribes’ 40 years of wandering in the desert after being released from exile in Egypt, but before finding the Promised Land.

Another Jewish holiday – Passover – another general closure of the West Bank

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Monday evening that there would be a long general closure on the West Bank at midnight — and it will last 12 days, until midnight on Saturday 18 April — in accordance with security assessments, of course.
Continue reading Another Jewish holiday – Passover – another general closure of the West Bank

Another Jewish holiday (Yom Kippur), another general closure

The IDF announcement came in an email 14 hours after the closure had already gone into effect: “In accordance with Ministry of Defense directives and in light of security assessments, a general closure of Judea and Samaria commenced yesterday, October 7th, 2008 at midnight. The lifting of the closure will be carried out on Friday, October 10th, 2008 at 8:00, in accordance with security assessments. For the duration of the closure, the passage of those in need of humanitarian and medical aid, as well as other specific requests will be authorized by the District Coordination and Liaison offices. The IDF regards Yom Kippur as a highly sensitive time. Accordingly, the IDF will increase its alertness in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel , while preserving, to the best of its ability, the daily life of the Palestinian population”.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Monitoring Group, part of the Negotiations Support Unit of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) reported that “Beginning at 24:00 on 07 October 2008, the Israeli army has continued to impose a complete closure over the West Bank districts on the occasion of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The Israeli army has also prevented civilians, including workers, from accessing the city of Jerusalem and areas inside the Green Line, only allowing previously coordinated humanitarian cases. The closure was lifted on the dawn of 10 October 2008. Beginning on 08 October 2008, the Israeli army has continued to intensify its restrictions at checkpoints located at the entrances to the city of Jerusalem as well as to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in the old city of Jerusalem. Due to the closure imposed on the West Bank districts on the occasion of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Israeli army has also prevented civilians not holding Jerusalem-issued ID cards from entering the city. As a result, classes were disrupted at schools in the city of Jerusalem”.

Israeli commentator Nachman Shai — the IDF spokesperson during the scud missile attacks on Israel during the First Gulf War — wrote an editorial in Yisrael Hayom “questioning the ‘routine’ closure that was imposed on the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria over the Rosh Hashanah holiday and says that, ‘Every day of joy for the Jews thus becomes a day of mourning, or – in the best case – a day of disruption on the Palestinian side’. The editors believe that Israelis and Palestinians are fated to be neighbors for a long time, so ‘Unless we see fit to build a foundation of understanding and even shared values, between us and the Palestinians, this area will always be a ticking bomb, and will explode’.”

Another Israeli holiday (Purim), another general closure of Palestinian territory

This one, however, is an extra-special closure, apparently because it coincides with the forty-day anniversary of the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh in Syria. Yes. And that means there is a doubly huge danger here. Yes.

This time, also exceptionally, the beginning of the closure was actually announced IN ADVANCE — I heard about it last night while listening to Kol Israel radio news in Spanish, French and English.

And, also exceptionally the ending time of this doubly extra-strict general closure has also been announced — usually, it has been left open for the convenience of “security considerations”.

Oh no, hold on, wait a minute. Upon closer reading of the details, I see that proviso is still left in as well…

The official announcement does not mention the Mughniyeh mourning dates, but they — and the connection to this double extra-special general closure — have been widely reported in all Israeli media.

The email announcement to journalists and editors was also apparently mailed out late Tuesday, — though I couldn’t see it because my phone (and therefore my internet connection) was not working.

Here is the IDF SPOKESPERSON’s ANNOUNCEMENT:
“In accordance with the decision made by the Minister of Defense and as part of the security measures adopted by the defense establishment, a general closure will be implemented in Judea, Samaria [n.b., the West Bank] and the Gaza Strip. The closure will begin today, Tuesday, March 18th at 12:00 am and will be lifted on Saturday, March 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 am. The lifting of the closure will be carried out in accordance with security assessments. For the duration of the closure, the passage of humanitarian aid as well as doctors, medical personnel, NGO members, lawyers, religious workers and additional professional groups will be authorized by the District Coordination and Liaison offices. In addition, commercial crossings will remain open for the passage of supplies into Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. The passage of journalists will be permitted. As always, the IDF Spokespersons Unit strongly suggests that passage into the Judea and Samaria region be coordinated in advance. The IDF regards the Purim holiday as a highly sensitive period in terms of the security risk. As a result, the IDF will increase its alertness and its presence at points of friction, in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel , while preserving to the best of its ability, the daily life of the Palestinian population”.

Haaretz, for example, has also reported today that “Israel’s intelligence community has gained possession of fragments of information hinting at plans for a Hezbollah revenge attack in coordination with Iran and Syria. Although this intelligence is partial and unfocused, it was enough to send into high alert troops of the Israel Defense Forces at the northern border. After consulting with security officials, Defense Minister Ehud Barak issued a total closure on the West Bank that went into effect at midnight last night and will remain in place until Sunday night. In addition to fears of an attempt to avenge Mughniyah’s death, Barak cited the large number of terror attacks and attempted attacks in recent years around the Purim holiday. The Israel Police are to go on heightened alert from tomorrow. On Monday, when schools reopen after the Purim vacation, the alert level is expected to return to normal levels. National Police Commissioner David Cohen ordered the threat level raised to three, one below the highest level, with special attention given to places of entertainment and public gathering spots”… This Haaretz report can be read in full here .

And, BTW, this extra-special double general closure also coincides with the Christian holiday of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday … and maybe also Easter Sunday.  So, no way to  attend the Good Friday procession through the streets of Jerusalem’s Old City or the Easter Sunday morning sunrise service on the Mount of Olives, for many people again this year …

So, here we all are, yet again anxious and miserable at the approach of another holiday, another general closure.