Liberman orders Gaza crossing to remain closed over border riot

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman orders that the Erez Pedestrian Crossing into the Gaza Strip remained closed for one week as punishment for the residents of the Palestinian enclave after a group of people rioted and vandalized the site earlier this week.

“After the vandalism incident we witnessed this past Tuesday, I have decided that the Erez Crossing will remain closed until next Thursday (September 13th). This is also how I will act if similar incidents happen in the future,” Liberman says in an Arabic-language Facebook post.

However, Erez likely would have been mostly closed for this period anyway, as the crossings into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are typically shuttered during major Jewish holidays, like Rosh Hashanah, which begins on Sunday night and ends on Tuesday night.

Liberman posts his message on the “el-Munasek” Facebook page belonging to Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, known formally as the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.

“Residents of Gaza, I want to bring to your attention that we will not tolerate violence. Anyone who participates in terror needs to know that they are harming the livelihoods of the residents of Gaza. On the other hand, there will be economic returns if there is quiet on the security front,” he writes.

— Judah Ari Gross