Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a comprehensive lockdown of the occupied West Bank following a violent incident near Hebron that resulted in multiple injuries. This directive was issued on Friday after the Israeli military reported the deaths of two Palestinians accused of conducting a shooting attack that left five individuals wounded.
The timing of this escalation is significant, occurring just days before pivotal elections in Israel that could influence Netanyahu’s political future. Recent days have seen an increase in violence, particularly involving Israeli settlers and military forces, coinciding with the olive harvesting season. Reports indicate an alarming rise in incidents against Palestinians, activists, and foreign journalists in the region.
Netanyahu’s office has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to impose a closure on Hebron and prepare for a total lockdown across the West Bank starting immediately. In an emergency meeting with the Security Cabinet and military officials, Netanyahu attributed the attack to Hamas and asserted that the group was planning further assaults targeting civilians. However, he did not provide explicit details about the alleged attack or the circumstances surrounding it.
“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” Netanyahu stated, thanking them for their actions and wishing the injured a swift recovery. He did not clarify whether the wounded were military personnel or civilians.
Reports from Magen David Adom, the primary emergency service in Israel, indicate that they received alerts of multiple casualties from a shooting near the Yehuda Junction in Hebron at 7:15 a.m. local time. Five people were treated for injuries, with at least two reported in critical condition.
The lockdown’s introduction is happening just ahead of next week’s elections, which are largely perceived as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership in light of the recent Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. With security being a primary focus of his campaign, Netanyahu’s administration has consistently warned of potential threats from the country’s adversaries leading up to the polls.
In light of the recent violence, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, has called for the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority, claiming, “There cannot be a situation where, within Judea and Samaria, we have a state of terror.” Similar sentiments were echoed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who argued for an extensive military campaign in the West Bank aimed at dismantling the Palestinian Authority and curtailing weaponry.
The West Bank has been experiencing a surge in tension, with the recent week particularly marked by settler violence. During the olive harvesting season, attacks on Palestinian farmers have intensified, with reports highlighting the involvement of Israeli forces in some incidents. Notably, U.S. citizens have also faced aggression while assisting Palestinian farmers. For instance, a New York congressional candidate, Brad Lander, was detained earlier this week while in the area alongside activists and American rabbis.
The escalating violence during the olive harvesting season is not new, yet it has markedly intensified after the October 7 attacks, with instances of Palestinians having their olives stolen. The United Nations has documented at least 160 attacks attributed to Israeli settlers connected to the harvesting season in the first two weeks of October alone, many of which allegedly occurred with the complicity or oversight of Israeli military personnel.
Despite global condemnation, Netanyahu’s government has maintained its support for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The growing frequency of attacks by settlers has increasingly been characterized as terrorism by various international officials, including U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
