Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak has imposed a closure on the West Bank for the next 48 hours.
The action was taken "for security reasons" including a risk of attacks, the spokesman said Friday. The area was sealed off at midnight on Thursday.
Since the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising in September 2000, Israel has usually sealed off the West Bank ahead of major holidays, saying the move is necessary to prevent attacks.
This was the first time such a measure was taken outside of a major Jewish occasion.
Barak's decision certainly has nothing to do with Biden's visit since he's already left for Jordan and soon after will return to the U.S.
Other reports are hinting that the decision has to do with the clashes that have occurred over the last two weeks after Friday prayers, but there's no confirmation of that yet.
Read the full AFP report here.
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