Israel closes crossing to Gaza workers after rockets

By JOSEPH KRAUSS and FARES AKRAM
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel says it will close its border crossing to thousands of Gaza workers after a series of rockets were fired from the territory ruled by the militant Hamas group in recent days. The Palestinians denounced the move as “collective punishment.” The rocket fire came amid near-daily clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site over the past week. The violence in Jerusalem has raised fears of another war between Israel and Hamas like the one that broke out under similar circumstances last year. The Israeli military said Palestinian militants fired two rockets late Friday, with one landing in an open area inside Israel and the other landing inside Gaza.