Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued new inflammatory statements, calling for West Bank villages to be dealt with in the same military manner used in the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip. These statements came in the wake of violent armed confrontations that erupted near the town of Tel and the 'Havat Gilad' settlement in Nablus Governorate, leading to casualties and injuries on both sides.
Ben Gvir affirmed that he would submit an official request to issue military orders for the destruction of homes belonging to Palestinians who participate in operations or provide support to those he described as 'terrorists'. The extremist minister stressed the necessity of making Palestinians pay a heavy price, in the form of losing land and property, for every injury or death among settlers.
On the ground, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the martyrdom of 4 and the injury of 4 others with varying degrees of wounds, describing the condition of 3 of them as extremely critical, during the confrontations witnessed in the town of Tel, southwest of Nablus. This toll comes amidst an escalation in the pace of attacks carried out by settlers under the protection of occupation forces in various contact areas in the West Bank.
In contrast, Israeli medical sources reported the killing of one settler and the injury of three others with varying degrees of wounds due to the armed attack that occurred near the 'Havat Gilad' outpost. The sources indicated that the clash was violent and involved the use of firearms, necessitating rapid intervention by army forces stationed in the area.
Accounts of the beginning of the incident varied, with Israeli media claiming that a group of Palestinians attacked settlers who were hiking in the area, snatched a pistol from one of them, and used it to open fire. This account claims that the attack was sudden and targeted 'civilians' in an open area near the settlement outpost.
For its part, local Palestinian sources confirmed that the incident began with an attack by extremist settlers on the outskirts of the village of Tel, which prompted residents to confront them and defend their homes. The sources explained that settler attacks have been repeated recently under the pretext of 'hiking', which are in fact attempts to impose a new settlement reality on the village's lands.
Media reports quoted settlers as saying that the violent clash occurred near the mosque of the village of Tel, where direct hand-to-hand confrontations erupted before the situation escalated to the use of weapons. The Hebrew website 'Ynet' indicated that the area witnessed a state of widespread chaos before the arrival of Israeli army reinforcements to the scene.
Following the incident, the Israeli army announced in an official statement the dispatch of additional units and intensive military reinforcements to the Tel area and the vicinity of the 'Havat Gilad' settlement. Occupation forces began extensive search operations to pursue those they described as the perpetrators who withdrew from the clash site.
Occupation authorities imposed a strict security cordon on the entire city of Nablus, in addition to closing the entrances to the town of Tel and preventing entry or exit. Soldiers set up mobile and fixed military checkpoints on main and secondary roads, completely obstructing the movement of Palestinian citizens in the northern region of the West Bank.
A state of extreme tension prevails in Nablus Governorate, amidst fears of settlers launching retaliatory attacks against surrounding Palestinian villages and towns. These fears come in light of the political cover provided by the right-wing Israeli government, specifically Ben Gvir's statements that explicitly call for the demolition of homes and displacement.
Local sources reported that occupation forces raided several homes in the town of Tel and carried out search operations and destruction of property, coinciding with intensive reconnaissance aircraft flying over the area. Palestinian popular activities demand the necessity of providing international protection for unarmed civilians in the face of the aggression of settlers and the occupation army.
Observers believe that Ben Gvir's statements regarding 'Beit Hanoun' represent a dangerous escalation that paves the way for large-scale destruction operations in the West Bank, similar to what is happening in the Gaza Strip. Analysts warn that adopting such policies will lead to an uncontrollable explosion of the situation in all occupied territories.
In conclusion of the developments, occupation forces continue their siege of Nablus city, while Palestinian families prepare to mourn the four martyrs amidst calls for a general strike and popular anger. The field situation remains prone to further escalation in light of the continued official Israeli incitement against the Palestinian presence in the West Bank.
West Bank villages must be treated as Beit Hanoun was treated, and for every Jew killed, the enemy must bear the loss of land and homes.
שתף את דעתך
Ben Gvir Calls for Destruction of West Bank Villages After Deadly Clashes in Nablus Resulting in 5 Deaths