The Biblical city of Bethlehem has been closed down following an announcement by Israel’s Defense Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday. The decision was made in a coordinated effort between the IDF and Palestinian Authority (PA) amidst concerns of the of a coronavirus outbreak. Both Israelis and Arabs will be restricted from both entering and exiting the city.
The measure made by Bennett to close the ancient city was determined on the basis of several cases of coronavirus that originated from the area of Bethlehem.
The closure will go into effect on Thursday evening until further notice.
PA President Abbas also declared a ‘state of emergency’ in Arab occupied areas of Judea and Samaria for 30 days when 7 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Bethlehem.
Source: Israel in the News
