Tuesday February 11, after "a spate of terrorist threats" on a Muslim Holiday.
The announcement came as the Israeli army said troops killed an armed Palestinian in Gaza as he entered "an off-limits area" near an army post on the border between the desert strip and Israel, the Voice of America and other media reported.
Israeli officials said they sealed off the territories following intelligence reports that Palestinian groups had planned nearly 50 terrorist attacks.
Just hours before the closure was imposed late Monday, February 10, Israeli soldiers captured three would-be suicide bombers in the West Bank, one of them carrying a 20 kilogram bomb, reports said. On Sunday, February 9, a car with explosives blew up killing all 3 Palestinian occupants and wounding four Israeli soldiers near their outpost at the Gush Katif.
MUSLIM FEAST
The decision to close off the Palestinian territories effectively cancelled plans to ease restrictions for Id al- Adha, the Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice, which began Tuesday, February 11.
It prevented Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from traveling to Jerusalem to pray at the compound in the Old City that houses the sacred Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosques.
The move was also expected to make it more difficult for Christian aid workers and organizations during such as the Bethlehem Bible College to function and help Palestinian students and others.
HUMANITARIAN CASES
Under the order, entry to Israel from the territories will be allowed only in special humanitarian cases. Analysts say that full closures of the West Bank and Gaza Strip are usually imposed only for sacred Jewish and national holidays in Israel.
Israeli army officials have defended the decision, saying that there is evidence that some groups, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, are plotting what the officials described as "mega terror attacks."
Army officials reportedly suggested that the rise in planned attacks is an attempt by some Islamic groups to break off high-level contacts with the Palestinian Authority.
The Israeli government re-established contacts with the Palestinians last week for the first time in nearly a year.
