Palestinians barred

Press, 1 March 1989, Page 10

Palestinians barred

NZPA-Reuter Jerusalem The Israeli Army barred Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip from entering Israel yesterday to prevent the spread of unrest during municipal elections. The leaders of a 14-month-old uprising against Israeli rule called a general strike in the occupied territories and ordered their "strike forces” to halt all transport in Arab east Jerusalem to ensure a Palestinian boycott of the polls. Teddy Kollek, the Mayor of Jerusalem for 24 years, was certain to win. But, in a separate vote, his council majority — traditionally helped by support from Arab east Jerusalem — appeared threatened by the far Left, Right-wing and Jewish religious parties.

The Army issued a 22-hoi ir closing order for the territories, beg inning at midnight, after the stabbinj 3 of an Israeli border policeman and t. he shooting by soldiers of at least 17 Pe ilestinian protesters. No one died. “In view of the municipal i elections and the declaration of polling c lay as a national holiday in Israel, entry to and. exit from Israel will be prohibite 'd to all residents,” a military communiqu ie said. Some 1.7 million Palestinians live in the territories captured along wi th east Jerusalem from Jordan and Egypt iia the 1967 Middle East war.

Aides to the 77-year-old Mr 1 Kollek said Arab residents feared for their lives if they ignored the boycott. Jerusalem is home to 350,000 Jew: s and 150,000 Arabs.