Bulldozers Clear Hebron Homes as Netanyahu Preps West Bank Offensive
Following a checkpoint attack that killed two soldiers, Israel is evicting residents and planning a major military campaign before the October 27 election.
By Malik Salazar ·
Residents of a neighborhood in Hebron are being forced from their homes as Israeli military bulldozers begin clearing the area. The destruction started on Friday afternoon, following a deadly attack on a nearby checkpoint. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a new military operation in the West Bank, describing it as the largest since the Six Day War.
The conflict began when two gunmen opened fire on an Israeli checkpoint near Hebron. Soldiers were positioned behind concrete barriers when the shooting started. A firefight lasted approximately 20 minutes before the military killed the two attackers. The attack resulted in two soldiers killed and three others wounded.
Netanyahu addressed the public in a televised speech from the attack site. He stated the government would act to demolish the area and change it completely. He compared the planned operation to last year's assault on two refugee camps in the northern West Bank, which displaced tens of thousands of people. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch described those previous expulsions as war crimes, a charge Israel has rejected.
The local human rights group B'Tselem has called on foreign governments to intervene. The group warned that the current actions risk another wave of ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office for the occupied Palestinian territory has noted a new level of dehumanization of Palestinians in the region. Israel has imposed widespread closures in Hebron, making movement difficult for residents.
This escalation occurs with four days remaining until the national election on October 27. Polls indicate that Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, are running close. Neither candidate currently holds enough support to form a government. Analysts suggest the military response is designed to project strength to voters.
Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, noted that Netanyahu is positioning himself as the security leader. He said, "For Netanyahu, his ticket before the election is, 'I'm Mr. Security.'" Citrinowicz described the eviction of families without evidence linking them to the attackers as collective punishment. He argued that stability comes from giving people hope and arresting specific attackers, not from harsh measures against entire neighborhoods.
Israel maintains strict movement controls across the territory, utilizing 925 checkpoints, roadblocks, and other barriers. The current situation involves a surge in violence and land seizures by Israeli settlers. The military continues to clear homes in Hebron as preparations for the broader West Bank operation proceed.
