Israel tightens security for Yom Kippur

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Israel is on high alert for the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, which begins Friday afternoon, authorities said.

Crossings into Israel from the West Bank were closed Thursday night until midnight Saturday under assessments of the security situation by the Israeli military, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Up to 300 police officers are to be deployed on the streets of Acre, a mixed Arab-Jewish city in the north, from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning, Israel Radio reported, and main entrances to the city will be blocked from the east.

The measures are being taken in light of violent riots in Acre two years ago on Yom Kippur.

Train service throughout Israel ended at 11:30 a.m. Friday, and Egged bus services stopped running at 2 p.m. Bus service will resume at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Day of Atonement fast will begin at 5:07 p.m. in Jerusalem, 5:22 p.m. in Tel Aviv, 5:14 p.m. in Haifa and 5:25 p.m. in Beersheba and will last 25 hours.