Israeli army blocks Gaza border after rocket fire

9 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 593 Views

The Israeli army blocked two entry points to Gaza, blocking the border with the strip after a rocket fired from the enclave struck Israeli territory, Agence France Presse reported.

“The crossing points for people and goods, Erez and Kerem Shalom, have been closed until further notice except for humanitarian aid,” an army spokeswoman said.

She said that the measure was taken after a rocket fired from Gaza hit the Eshkol area of southern Israel on Friday, without causing any casualties or damage.

It was the first to strike Israeli territory since September 16, and the second since the end of Israel’s devastating 50-day war on Gaza militants.

The border closure is parallel to escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank following clashes related to Jewish right-wing activism calling for increased Jewish worship in the complex housing the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosque.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had urged lawmakers to show “responsibility and restraint” towards recent escalating tensions between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in Occupied Jerusalem, Reuters news agency reported.

Palestinians fear an Israeli plan to alter the status quo of the al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, as far-right Jewish activists and politicians call for Jewish worship at the site.

Currently, access to the mosque is administered by Jordanian religious authorities but Israeli security forces have barred Palestinians from entry citing security concerns.

Following Benjamin’s statement, Moshe Feiglin, members of Israel’s right-wing Likud party and head of a campaign for Jewish worship, tweeted he would be heading to the al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday…. see more

source: alarabiya.net

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