Israel demolishes homes in Hebron after two of its soldiers are killed
The Israeli army is searching and demolishing buildings near Hebron in the West Bank after armed Palestinians killed two Israeli soldiers. The operation comes days before Israel's election, in which security is the main campaign theme.
The Israeli army is carrying out an operation in the West Bank, the territory west of the Jordan River, near the city of Hebron. The reason is an attack by armed Palestinians in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. According to Aktuaalne Kaamera, the Russian-language news programme of Estonian public broadcaster ERR, troops are searching buildings and demolishing them.
The source does not specify how many buildings have been demolished, who owned them, or whether the operation will continue. It also gives no names of the dead soldiers and no precise circumstances of the attack.
Political background
The events come as Israel prepares to hold an election on Tuesday. According to the report, the opposition is increasingly pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The main theme of the election campaign is the security of Israelis.
The opposition claims that the head of government has failed to ensure the safety of the country's citizens. As a result, the soldiers' deaths and the army's response in the West Bank are drawing attention just before a vote in which electors will weigh how the government has handled security matters.
Hebron is a city in the West Bank where security-related events regularly attract international attention. The current operation is Israel's response to the attack, and the news programme continues to follow its progress.
