Israel begins razing Hebron homes after checkpoint shooting kills two soldiers
Demolition crews entered the city while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered cordons around 200,000 residents ahead of a national vote scheduled for next week.
By Carolina Wood ·
Israeli military crews began tearing down structures in Hebron on Thursday, four days before national elections.
The operation followed a shooting at a checkpoint outside the city where two soldiers were killed and three were wounded. Two Palestinian gunmen fired on the troops before returning fire killed both attackers. Footage from the scene shows the men leaving a vehicle armed with a handgun and an assault rifle. The military stated it found a large amount of ammunition in the car and believes the gunmen originally targeted Route 35.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke from the site and said the military would demolish the neighborhood and completely transform it. He described the plan as extensive action similar to previous operations in West Bank refugee camps that displaced thousands. Netanyahu also said he had reviewed plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank in decades, though he did not provide a timeline. He imposed cordons around Hebron and the nearby city of Halhul, affecting an estimated 200,000 residents.
The attack has altered the political landscape ahead of the vote. Netanyahu has campaigned on security, and his Likud party canceled campaign events scheduled for Friday morning. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a campaign in the West Bank similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Israel to dismantle the Palestinian Authority. Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused opposition leaders of undermining the government by criticizing Netanyahu's warnings of an attack. Opposition figures, including Gadi Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett, offered condolences to the soldiers' families and praised the troops who killed the attackers.
Israeli rights groups have long criticized the demolition of homes linked to attacks as collective punishment. The incident occurred during the annual olive harvest, a period of high tension where extremist Jewish settlers have targeted Palestinians. According to the United Nations, at least 96 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the start of the year. Four Israelis have also been killed there by Palestinians over the same period, a count that excludes the two soldiers who died in the latest attack.
