Yom Kippur shutdown in Israel

The Israeli authorities have, as anticipated, sealed access to parts of the Palestinian controlled parts of the West Bank until midnight on 14 September during the Jewish Yom Kippur observance. Crossings into the territory were closed late on 12 September. Border crossings between Israel and Egypt and Jordan have also been closed for the duration of the observance, which ends during the evening of 14 September. Security will also be increased countrywide, particularly at synagogues and in mixed (Christian/Jewish or Muslim/Jewish) cities and towns, while public transportation, including air travel, and business operations will be significantly reduced. The additional security measures have been enforced in response to the threat of Islamist and Palestinian extremist attacks. In addition, elevated security will be in place at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Palestinians men under the age of 45 will also be restricted from accessing the site for Friday prayers. The security increase is not in response to Yom Kippur but rather relates to low-level violence at the site over the past week and a recent threat by the armed wing of Fatah, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, that it had ordered attacks against Israel from 13 September.

- red24 alert, issued on 13 September. If you'd like information on this service, visit www.red24.com