Approximately 9,000 Palestinians with permits to work in Israeli industrial zones face new movement restrictions under a general closure of the West Bank. Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to block laborers from entering communities in Judea and Samaria during the Sukkot holiday following recommendations from the IDF amid heightened tensions in the territory. Essential workers may still enter industrial zones under security guidelines from the IDF Central Command, and further exceptions apply to meet commitments to the High Court of Justice.

The restrictions start Sunday and remain in effect through next Saturday, including the closure of border crossings and several roads and entrances around West Bank cities, the Wafa news agency reports. The move blocks the movement of Palestinian laborers who, as of last year, held permits to work in settlements or nearby industrial zones.