Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, issued an order for a large-scale operation after the deaths of two Israeli soldiers in the city of Hebron in the West Bank. Netanyahu announced that his country "will take action to demolish this location" and Israeli forces will enter the attackers' neighborhood.
Demolition and displacement of residents
Netanyahu emphasized that Israeli forces will displace residents of the area and will go house to house. He also announced that all weapons in the area will be confiscated and "all terrorist infrastructures" must be destroyed. The Israeli army also announced that two attackers were killed in this operation. In this attack, in addition to the two killed soldiers, three others were also slightly injured.
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Political and electoral context
This deadly shooting in Hebron occurred four days before the Israeli elections on October 27, which are the first elections following Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Netanyahu stated that he has ordered the army to "impose a siege on the city of Hebron and prepare for a complete package across the West Bank".
The Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, also reacted to this incident by calling for a military campaign in the West Bank, stating: "There is no option other than a comprehensive military campaign in Judea and Samaria to eliminate the Palestinian Authority and remove the terrorists".
Smotrich also ordered the demolition of buildings near the shooting site, saying: "After this attack, I have ordered the immediate demolition of a wide range of illegal Arab structures".
Recent developments in the West Bank come as Israel gradually increases its control over the area and has established dozens of bases in recent years that are considered illegal under international law. Additionally, settler violence in the West Bank is on the rise, with dozens of Palestinians killed since the beginning of this year.
This incident occurs at a sensitive time for Israel. The October 27 elections are seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, who has faced severe criticism for his inability to prevent Hamas attacks.
Polls indicate that this election will be a close contest between pro-Netanyahu and anti-Netanyahu blocs. Despite international attention on Gaza and the West Bank, there is not much difference between these two blocs regarding Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
A few days ago, masked Israeli settlers attacked a group of European diplomats and journalists in the West Bank while they were accompanying Palestinians to begin the annual olive harvest. The Israeli army condemned these violent acts and has initiated a rare investigation into the settlers. Both the Israeli occupation and the settlements scattered throughout this land are illegal under international law.
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