The Palestinian Health Ministry says it is preventing all tourists from entering the West Bank. The ministry does not specify for how long. Most tourists to the West Bank visit the biblical city of Bethlehem, where the Nativity Church is located, and Jericho.
The measures come after suspicions that four Palestinians had caught the new coronavirus. A Palestinian official says the four had tested positive for the virus but that the tests were sent to Israel to verify the results. The official speaks on condition of anonymity because he isn’t authorized to discuss the issue with the media. They would be the Palestinian territories’ first cases if confirmed.
The Palestinian Health Ministry also says churches and places of worship in Bethlehem will be closed for two weeks.
Palestinian authorities add that the storied Nativity Church in the biblical city of Bethlehem, built atop the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born, will close indefinitely later in the day over coronavirus fears. The church was expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors and worshipers next month for the upcoming Easter holiday.
— AP, Times of Israel staff
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