Netanyahu Orders Major West Bank Push After Checkpoint Shootout

Israeli military forces began demolishing homes in Hebron on Friday afternoon, displacing hundreds of Palestinians from a neighborhood near a recently attacked checkpoint. This action follows a shooting incident that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new military operation in the West Bank, describing the scope as 'on a scale not seen since the Six Day War.' He spoke from a live broadcast at the attack site, stating, 'We will act to demolish this place, to change it completely.' The reference to 1967 marks the year Israel first occupied the territory.

The military reported that soldiers were positioned behind concrete barriers when two gunmen opened fire. A firefight lasted approximately 20 minutes before troops killed the attackers. Since the shooting, Israel has imposed widespread closures in Hebron, the most populous city in the occupied West Bank, restricting movement for residents and visitors.

B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, called on foreign governments to intervene. The group warned against 'another wave of ethnic cleansing and war crimes.' Human Rights Watch made similar claims regarding a previous operation in the northern West Bank last year, which displaced tens of thousands of people. Israel has rejected those war crime charges.

The escalation coincides with Israeli national elections scheduled for October 27. Current polls show Prime Minister Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, running neck and neck. Neither candidate currently holds enough support to form a government. Analysts suggest the large-scale response is designed to project strength to voters during the campaign.

Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, noted that Netanyahu's primary message is one of security. He described the prime minister's approach as 'Mr. Security,' arguing that harsh measures are intended to show the public that Netanyahu is defending them.

Citrinowicz labeled the eviction of families from the attackers' neighborhood 'collective punishment' because there is no evidence linking those residents to the gunmen. He argued that preventing future attacks requires giving hope rather than punishing entire communities, urging authorities to focus on arresting specific suspects while helping those who seek a stable economy.