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Last update - 15:23 13/10/2008
Israel seals off West Bank ahead of Sukkot holiday
By DPA
Tags: West Bank, Sukkot 

Israel security forces sealed off the West Bank early Monday, allowing Palestinian movement out of the area only in special medical cases, ahead of the first day of the Jewish Sukkot holiday.

Military checkpoints into Israel and on key West Bank roads leading into settlements will be closed at least until Tuesday next week, an Israel Defense Forces statement said.

The closure will be in effect until midnight October 21, according to a security assessment.
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The holiday of Sukkot, celebrated for seven days, is part of the Jewish high holiday season, which usually falls in the autumn and began this year on September 29 with Rosh Hashana. It ends next week with the Simhat Torah holiday, which marks the start of a new, year-long cycle of reading from the first five books of the Old Testament.

The IDF said in a statement that it will be on "higher alert in order to ensure the safety of the citizens of Israel, while preserving to the best of its ability the daily routine of the Palestinian population."

Palestinians in need of humanitarian assistance and medical aid would be allowed to pass into Israel during the closure, the IDF said.

Israel routinely seals off the Palestinian territories during Jewish holidays, a practice started after a Hamas suicide bomber killed 30 Israelis and injured more than 100 others as they were sitting down for the Passover meal, or Seder, in the coastal town of Netanya in March 2002.

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      1.   This is a disgraceful violation of Palestinian rights 08:30  |  Dutch 13/10/08
      2.   # 2 to dutch re: loss of "rights" 09:24  |  eric 13/10/08
      3.   Thank You Border Police For Keeping Us Safe 10:56  |  Baruch Gold 13/10/08
      4.   Stoning during Succot 12:54  |  Jackie 13/10/08
      5.   Hey Dutch, why did we not hear from you on the Iranian boy 12:59  |  Benjamina 13/10/08
      6.   Go Dutch yourself 15:50  |  Richard S 13/10/08
      7.   To Dutch and people living in denial 15:52  |  Americans 13/10/08
      8.   Americans 16:35  |  Steve 13/10/08
      9.   #7 Americans 17:32  |  gypsyjohn 13/10/08
      10.   "americans" 8 18:48  |  potobac 13/10/08
      11.   benjamina 5 18:51  |  potobac 13/10/08
      12.   #5, Benjamina to Dutch... 18:54  |  Silvienne 13/10/08
      13.   #6, Richard S... 19:44  |  Silvienne 13/10/08
      14.   Another Nutty Silvienne 20:33  |  Golani 13/10/08
      15.   What rights does one have to enter another country? 21:13  |  Besalel 13/10/08
      16.   Terrorists acts dont help anyone 21:28  |  Dave Duncan 13/10/08
      17.   #14 Golani re. Silvienne 22:25  |  The Teacher/Instruct 13/10/08
      18.   #15 Palestinians are the natives of the land hence.... 22:50  |  nuakshot 13/10/08
      19.   #1 ..... 6th attempt 22:50  |  Ishimoach 13/10/08
      20.   #17 how racist can you be??? 22:53  |  bobo 13/10/08
      21.   #17, Teacher/Instruct aka "KATHY" 23:49  |  Silvienne 13/10/08
      22.   #14, Golani... 23:55  |  Silvienne 13/10/08
      23.   Are the Palestinians allowed 00:34  |  kiwi girl 14/10/08
      24.   Freedom of movement 06:49  |  Hans 14/10/08
      25.   7 Israel has no right to infringe on the HRs of Palestinians 07:53  |  Dutch 14/10/08
      26.   13 Silvienne, Thank you 08:05  |  Dutch 14/10/08
      27.   Eric, I am not accepting this closure as par for the course 08:15  |  Dutch 14/10/08
      28.   nuakshot`s natives 08:16  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      29.   Trying to penetrate Silvienne`s skull 08:19  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      30.   Dutch`s rights 08:21  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      31.   SHED, Re: Israel`s unlawfulness 09:00  |  Dutch 14/10/08
      32.   Security of the West Bank 10:53  |  Hans 14/10/08
      33.   Dumb Doris to eric @27 15:25  |  Joe Moer 14/10/08
      34.   Dutch`s occupation 16:48  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      35.   Dumbo Silvienne always gets it wrong 17:00  |  x-ray 14/10/08
      36.   Silvienne, heard of Yassir Arafat? He said W Bank isn`t Palestine 17:03  |  x-ray 14/10/08
      37.   #30, SDHD to Dutch... 20:05  |  Silvienne 14/10/08
      38.   #31, Dutch...now here is something I never thought of! 20:08  |  Silvienne 14/10/08
      39.   #29, SDHD...playing the well-worn Victim Card...... 20:14  |  Silvienne 14/10/08
      40.   Silvienne -- "someone else`s land" 20:18  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      41.   Silvienne`s well-worn victim card 20:25  |  SDHD 14/10/08
      42.   #37, SDHD, now playing the "we`re here first" card.. 21:08  |  Silvienne 14/10/08
      43.   To Dutch 22:32  |  JEG 14/10/08
      44.   #38, SDHD... 22:36  |  Silvienne 14/10/08
      45.   Silvienne #21 (part 2) 23:57  |  The Teacher/Instruct 14/10/08
      46.   Silvienne . . . a genuine . . . 06:53  |  SDHD 15/10/08
      47.   # 27 nor should anyone, dutch; NOT EVER! (2nd try) 07:05  |  eric 15/10/08
      48.   Silvienne, Well said! 07:30  |  Dutch 15/10/08
      49.   # 33 to john moer re: the "dutch" 07:42  |  eric 15/10/08
      50.   Eric, You have me laughing out loud. 08:23  |  Dutch 15/10/08
      51.   #1 17:14  |  swedgoy 20/10/08
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