Israel on Monday decided to restrict Palestinian access to the main Jordan Valley highway in the wake of an armed shooting that killed two Israelis and injured three others, said The Jerusalem Post newspaper.
The paper said that Palestinians will only be permitted to drive along the road in emergency circumstances, and then only in convoy formations.
But Jewish settlers in the area fear the closure of the road to Palestinians will negatively effect the local economy, Israel Radio reported, cited by the paper.
The closure will prevent Palestinian laborers from getting to work and could lead to the collapse of the region's agricultural-based economy, said the radio.
Some 5,000 Jewish settlers live in the Jordan Valley – Albawaba.com
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