Israel seals Palestinian territories before Purim holiday
JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday ordered the Palestinian territories sealed off for fear of attacks during the impending Jewish Purim holiday, his office said.
The occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip will be sealed from Tuesday night until Sunday, it said.
Police said that they were also putting their forces on alert from Thursday until Sunday, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.
The carnival-like Jewish holiday of Purim will be celebrated from sundown on Thursday until sundown the following day.
Israel regularly tightens restrictions on movement in and out of the West Bank and Gaza around major Jewish holidays.
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