The head of the IDF’s Central Command, General Roni Numa, has ordered the block on Ramallah and the nearby village of Beit Ur al-Tahta to be lifted.

The decision to seal off the city was announced yesterday (Monday) morning. Throughout the day, only residents were allowed to enter the Palestinian Authority’s de facto capital.

This caused serious traffic congestion due to the roadblocks on major roads. Palestinian news agency Maan reported that each taxi entering Ramallah was checked by IDF soldiers for several minutes.

An IDF official explained that the measure was put in place due to security warnings that the IDF received, and in response to the shooting attack at the Focus checkpoint by Beit El on Sunday. During the attack, a Palestinian police officer shot and wounded three IDF soldiers.