Israel displaces up to 250 Palestinian families in Hebron after two soldiers killed
Israeli forces entered the West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday and displaced up to 250 Palestinian families after two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack on Friday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a large-scale operation, with Israeli elections due in days.
Israeli forces moved into Hebron on Saturday, a West Bank city where hardline Israeli settlers live surrounded by Palestinians, and displaced up to 250 Palestinian families, some in the middle of the night. The move follows an attack on Friday at a checkpoint near Hebron, where Palestinian militants killed two Israeli soldiers. Both gunmen died in the ensuing gunfight.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is planning an operation on a scale not seen since Israel first occupied the West Bank in 1967. It comes just days before Israel's general election on Tuesday, in which Netanyahu is expected to face a tight race against an opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Army and local officials
The Israeli military says it is "conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches" in the area the gunmen came from. It said the operation would last several days, as with similar army actions after previous attacks. It did not answer further questions.
Local Governor Khaled Dudin told AFP that about one-third of Hebron has been targeted. He said there was no guarantee the operation would not expand, and described it as collective punishment of civilians. By his count 150 families were affected, while Hebron mayor Youssef al-Jaabari and local activist Issa Amro put the number at 250. The mayor promised to find shelter and provide the help people need.
In the Ein Dir Baha neighbourhood, buildings were marked with X's showing they had been emptied, and only Israeli military vehicles were seen on the streets. All gates in and out of the city were closed to vehicles, according to Basma Radio, a Telegram channel Palestinians use to monitor checkpoints, so Palestinians must cross on foot.
Political context
Itamar Ben Gvir, Netanyahu's far-right national security adviser, has called for dismantling the Palestinian Authority, the semi-autonomous body that governs parts of the West Bank in cooperation with Israel under 1990s peace accords. Asked about this, Netanyahu said he has rejected pressure from three US presidents to establish a Palestinian state.
Rights group Yesh Din has reported 672 incidents of settler violence over the past 26 days, nearly half linked to the olive harvest.
