Israeli Government Freezes Green Line Closure PlanThe Israeli government froze on Wednesday noon a plan announced by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to declare sections of the 1967 Green Line border "closed military zones," local media reported.The plan, announced by the IDF Wednesday morning, was scheduled to take effect at 03:00 p.m. (GMT 1200) in an effort to protect the Israelis from Palestinian attacks, the website of the Jerusalem Post reported. According to the report, most of the closed sections were located in the narrow coastal plain bordering the West Bank cities of Tulkarm and Qalqilya, and the IDF will also reinforce security around Jerusalem. The plan, initiated by Israelis in the areas, was aimed at reducing the operations in the area by Palestinian activists and restricting their freedom of movement to enter Israel, an IDF spokesman was quoted as saying. Over the past, especially since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out a year ago, the Israeli army has often imposed closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip for such reasons as carrying out military operations, curbing unrest, setting up buffer zones between the Jewish settlers and Palestinians. |
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