Israel increase national security as the ending of the 40-day mourning period for the assassination of militant Hezbollah leader, Imad Mughniyeh, coincides with the Jewish holiday of Purim. Both the West Bank and Gaza borders are shut down in fear that Palestinian guerrilla fighters might seek revenge on Israel after their leader was killed in a targeted car bombing last month, allowing no one into Israel but medical emergency. Despite Israel’s denial of involvement in the assassination, Lebanese guerrilla group has blamed Israel and vowed revenge.

Officials from the Israeli army state the borders will remain closed through Sunday night, when the festivities of Purim have ended. It’s been the previous trend of Israel to implement these border closures during Feasts and Festivals, most commonly when schools are closed and there are large gatherings of people in the streets. The Jewish-Arab tension has been extremely high in Jerusalem since the school shooting by an Arab Palestinian on March 5th, killing 8 young teenagers at a yeshiva in east Jerusalem.