Netanyahu Orders West Bank Lockdown After Soldiers Killed — SkimNews
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- Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full closure of the occupied West Bank and warned of a major military operation in Judea and Samaria, the largest since 1967, following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers near Hebron
- Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian attackers at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint after a gun battle witnessed by an AFP journalist, who saw their bodies near a petrol station as troops secured the area
- Hamas praised the attack as a 'heroic operation' and called for intensified armed resistance, though it did not claim direct responsibility for the Hebron shooting
- Bezalel Smotrich called for a comprehensive military campaign in the West Bank 'exactly like in Gaza', demanding the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and widespread weapons confiscation
- Itamar Ben Gvir demanded the complete dismantling and demilitarization of the Palestinian Authority, claiming its terror infrastructure must be eradicated despite no evidence linking it to the attack
- Israeli military launched offensive counter-terrorism operations in Hebron, raiding homes and conducting large-scale arrests, while Netanyahu canceled all Likud party meetings due to the security emergency
Why it matters: With elections just days away, Netanyahu’s push for a sweeping military operation risks escalating violence in the West Bank, where over 1,100 Palestinians have already been killed since October 2023. The response could entrench hardline policies and shift the political landscape by framing security as the dominant issue.
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