Netanyahu Orders West Bank Operation on 1967 Scale After Two Soldiers Killed
Demolitions in Hebron have begun as Israel prepares for a campaign ahead of its October 27 election, a move analysts link to Netanyahu's need to project strength.
By Naledi Dlamini ·
Two Israeli soldiers died and three others were wounded after gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Hebron, triggering an immediate military response in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military stated that soldiers were behind concrete barriers when the two attackers opened fire. A firefight lasted approximately 20 minutes before troops killed the gunmen.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a military operation on the West Bank "on a scale not seen since the Six Day War," referring to the 1967 conflict when Israel first occupied the territory. Speaking from the site of the attack in a televised address, Netanyahu said, "We will act to demolish this place, to change it completely." He compared the planned action to last year's assault on two Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank, which displaced tens of thousands of people.
Bulldozers began flattening homes near the shooting site on Friday afternoon. The military is forcing hundreds of Palestinians out of a neighborhood in Hebron. B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, urged foreign governments to intervene to prevent "another wave of ethnic cleansing and war crimes." Human Rights Watch previously described the 2025 expulsions as war crimes, a charge Israel rejects.
The escalation occurs during a surge of violence and land seizures by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. The United Nations Human Rights Office for the occupied Palestinian territory has described the situation as a "new level of dehumanization of Palestinians." Israel has imposed widespread closures in Hebron, the most populous city in the occupied West Bank. The territory currently features 925 checkpoints, roadblocks, earth mounds, and other barriers that restrict movement.
Analysts connect the scale of the response to the national elections scheduled for October 27. Polls show Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, running neck and neck, with neither currently holding enough support to form a government. Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said, "For Netanyahu, his ticket before the election is, 'I'm Mr. Security.'" He argued that Netanyahu will take harsh measures to show the Israeli public that he supports and defends them.
Citrinowicz called the eviction of families from the attackers' neighborhood "collective punishment," noting there is no evidence linking them to the gunmen. He said, "The way to prevent [more attacks by Palestinians] is not collective punishment. It's by giving hope." Citrinowicz urged authorities to arrest those intent on attacking while helping those who want to live peacefully with a working economy.
Source: NPR
