Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed today, Friday, his government's official direction to legalize a group of existing settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, in addition to initiating the construction of new settlement outposts. This step comes in the context of the escalation policy pursued by the far-right to impose a new demographic and geographical reality on Palestinian territories internationally classified as occupied territories.
Netanyahu, in cooperation with his security minister, Israel Katz, confirmed the adoption of a package of field and political measures aimed at strengthening the settlement grip. These measures include intensive raids in Palestinian villages and towns, under the pretext of pursuing militants, in parallel with accelerating legal and administrative procedures to legalize agricultural settlement that encroaches on vast areas of citizens' lands.
On the field level, the Israeli army announced the start of preparations to implement a wide-ranging military operation in various areas of the West Bank. Sources reported that the Central Command of the army informed settler leaders of the need to prepare for a new phase of operations described as 'counter-terrorism', stressing that it would take all necessary measures to achieve its goals.
In a remarkable field development, the Israeli army admitted the killing of an officer with the rank of major, Yoav Ezra, 27 years old, during an operational activity in the area of Tel village. Israeli medical and relief sources also confirmed the killing of a second Israeli in the same incident, reflecting the extent of escalating tension and field confrontations at contact points in the West Bank.
Nablus city witnessed an incursion targeting a hospital, where occupation forces arrested two Palestinians from inside the medical institution. Occupation authorities claim that the detainees participated in a shooting incident that occurred on Friday morning, which represents a new violation of the sanctity of health facilities protected under international laws.
In Ramallah governorate, forces reinforced with armored and tracked vehicles stormed the town of Deir Jarir, where infantry teams spread in the town's alleys amid heavy firing of sound bombs. Eyewitnesses reported that the military force carried out extensive searches and provocations against residents, leading to limited confrontations in the eastern part of the town.
As for occupied Jerusalem, occupation forces escalated their attacks in the town of Al-Tur, where they stormed citizens' homes and severely beat members of one family. The operation ended with the arrest of a number of young men and their transfer to interrogation centers, amid a state of panic among women and children due to the violence used during the searches.
The measures were not limited to incursions, but also included an economic and social siege by closing the entrances to several villages and towns in Salfit governorate. Occupation forces tightened their military measures at checkpoints surrounding the governorate, hindering the movement of citizens and preventing them from reaching their lands and workplaces on Friday.
In a related context, settlers continued their systematic attacks under army protection, targeting vital Palestinian infrastructure. Settlers sabotaged water lines belonging to Ein Samiya wells east of Ramallah, causing the cessation of water pumping to thousands of citizens who primarily depend on these wells.
Jerusalem Governorate Water Authority clarified that this attack is the third of its kind targeting the Ein Samiya area in just one week. Technical teams confirmed that they are working hard to repair the damage and restart the wells, warning of the danger of targeting water sources as a tool for pressure and forced displacement against Palestinian communities.
Also in Jerusalem, extremist settlers closed Al-Sawana Street leading to the Mount of Olives, preventing Palestinian vehicles from passing. This was accompanied by stone-throwing at cars, which led to the shattering of glass in several of them and caused fear among passengers, in the absence of any intervention from the occupation police to deter the attackers.
These rapid developments confirm the existence of a comprehensive Israeli plan aimed at escalating the situation in the West Bank on all fronts. Between the political legalization of settlements, military operations on the ground, and settler attacks on infrastructure, Palestinians face a critical stage targeting their existence on their land.
We have taken a series of steps including accelerating procedures for legalizing agricultural settlement outposts and establishing new outposts in the West Bank.
שתף את דעתך
Netanyahu decides to legalize new settlement outposts and the army launches a wide operation in the West Bank