Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has instructed the military to impose a "general closure" on the West Bank, preventing Palestinian labourers from entering settlements.

Katz says that the IDF recommended the move, amid heightened tensions in the territory.

"As part of the directive, Palestinian workers will not be permitted to enter communities in Judea and Samaria during the Sukkot holiday," the defense minister says.

Still, Katz says that "essential workers" will be permitted to enter industrial zones in the West Bank, "in accordance with the security guidelines of the IDF Central Command."

Other exceptions may be given in accordance with "the state’s commitments to the High Court of Justice," Katz adds.

According to data from last year, some 9,000 Palestinians have permits to work in settlements or nearby industrial zones.