Israel to impose weeklong closure on West Bank during Sukkot
Essential workers will still be allowed into industrial zones, subject to the security guidelines of the IDF’s Central Command
Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the IDF to impose a general closure on the West Bank starting Sunday, following a military recommendation. The closure is expected to remain in place throughout the coming week, including the Sukkot holiday and its intermediate days.
The decision follows recent attacks and comes ahead of the holiday period. During the closure, Palestinian workers will be barred from entering Israeli communities in the West Bank for work.
Essential workers will still be allowed into industrial zones, subject to the security guidelines of the IDF’s Central Command. Other exceptional permits will not be approved, apart from those required under the state’s commitments to the High Court of Justice.
The head of an association representing nursing institutions has appealed to Katz and Health Minister Haim Katz to exempt caregivers from the closure. In a letter, he warned that barring them could disrupt care at dozens of geriatric institutions in Israel.
According to the letter, about 940 caregivers from the West Bank work in institutional nursing care. The association says they have passed security checks and are usually exempt from closures through permits tied to the institutions where they work.
They help elderly patients with daily tasks such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing and changing diapers. The association warned that suspending their entry could leave thousands of patients without the care they need.