Israel to Shut All West Bank Crossings on Election Day
The army will ban Palestinian workers and close land crossings on Tuesday as a crackdown in Hebron follows the killing of two Israeli soldiers.
Israel's military says all land crossings from the West Bank will be closed on Tuesday, the day of Israel's election, and Palestinian workers will be barred from entering all settlements. The army announced a ban on entry and exit of Palestinian workers across the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones. Most workers are also to be kept out of settlements from Sunday, with exceptions for industrial zones and a limited number of other areas.
The restrictions come during a crackdown in the occupied territory after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint. Three other soldiers were wounded, and both gunmen were killed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a major operation on Friday in response.
Demolitions in Hebron
Israeli forces have been demolishing homes and businesses in Hebron, and hundreds of families have been displaced. Even before the new bans on workers, the military had cordoned off the city, sharply limiting movement for its 200,000 residents.
Demolishing the homes of Palestinians suspected of attacks on Israelis is a common practice, one that Israeli rights groups have criticised as collective punishment.
Hebron Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari said the operation was "driven by the elections" and that Netanyahu and his ministers were trying to secure votes from the far right and settlers. In an interview with Israel's i24 television channel released on Saturday, Netanyahu threatened a "very big surprise" for the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the territory.
Before the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, more than 100,000 Palestinian workers were permitted to enter Israel. Since then only a small fraction have had their permits restored.
On Saturday thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv for a large anti-government demonstration. The October Council, a group founded by families of victims and hostages from the 7 October attack, organised it to demand accountability and a state commission of inquiry. Leaders of the four main opposition parties took part, among them Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief of staff, who is neck and neck with Netanyahu.
Source: BBC News