Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Saturday extended until Tuesday a lockdown on the West Bank that had been due to end Saturday at midnight, an armed forces spokesman said. Israel sealed off the West Bank on Friday, citing security risks, amid tension with key ally the United States over plans to build new homes for Jewish settlers in predominantly Arab east Jerusalem.
The lockdown will now run until Tuesday at midnight because of the continued risk of attacks, the spokesman said. Israeli troops Saturday clashed in the occupied West Bank with Palestinian women and youths who were protesting against the new settlement plans.