Middle East Monitor / October 4, 2022
The Israeli occupation forces will be imposing a closure on the Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) commercial crossing for the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, the Israeli army has announced.
It comes amid the escalation of violence in the occupied cities of West Bank as an Israeli soldier was wounded in a shooting near the entrance to the city of Nablus, for which the Palestinian armed groups, Lions’ Den, claimed responsibility.
The Lions’ Den are groups of Palestinian gunmen operating in and around the city of Nablus, and they include activists from various Palestinian factions.
The Yom Kippur closure will begin tonight at midnight, and last until tomorrow 11:59 pm, reported Arab 48.
The IDF army added in a statement that the closure will be re-imposed on Sunday at 4 pm, and lifted the following day at midnight.
Exceptions to the closures will be made for humanitarian and other outstanding cases, added the army. However, they will require the approval of the Israeli Defence Ministry’s liaison to the Palestinians, known as COGAT.
The closures are standard practice during Jewish holidays, in what the military claims is a preventative measure. They include the closure of all major roads, the setting up of military checkpoints and the intensification of the army’s presence, as well as the closure of all crossings around the Gaza Strip, tightening the 15-year siege even further.
Such abusive and oppressive actions against Palestinians are said to be needed as a means of “securing the celebrations of the settlers”. All Israeli Jewish settlers and the settlements in which they live on stolen Palestinian land are illegal under international law.
