West Bankupdated 1h ago3 min read
MapIsrael Closes West Bank Crossings On Knesset Election Day, Expands Hebron Lockdown
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West Bank land crossings closed on election day; Palestinian workers barred from settlements. Hebron operation displacing thousands as part of broader West Bank lockdown.
15 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Israel Launches Major Hebron Operation After Shooting Kills Two Soldiers, Netanyahu Orders House-to-House →
The Times of Israel was read line by line by the Watchdog: 2.9. See the score →
Election-Day Closure Announced
Israeli occupation authorities announced in the early hours of Sunday that they would close all land crossings with the West Bank on the day of the Knesset elections, while the occupation army continued a wide military operation in Hebron. The Israeli army said on Telegram that political leadership approved a ban on entry and exit of Palestinian workers across the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones, and it also ordered the closure of all land crossings for Tuesday, October 27. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced expanding the military operations and imposing a broad lockdown on Hebron and the neighboring town of Halhul, and the defense minister said about two thousand Palestinians had been removed from their homes in Hebron so far.
The operation began and would last several days, according to an army statement, with participation of Shin Bet, Border Police, and Civil Administration, and it focused in Hebron’s Dier Bacha and al-Jalda neighborhoods. Hebron mayor Youssef al-Ja’bari accused Netanyahu and his government of exploiting the operation to win settler votes ahead of the elections, while he confirmed demolition of shops, factories, and roads.
Worker Restrictions and Displacement
The Israel Defense Forces announced a "ban on the entry and exit of Palestinian workers throughout Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones" and the closure of all land crossings on Tuesday. The restrictions came amid a crackdown after Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers in the territory, and Netanyahu announced a major operation on Friday in response. Defence Minister Israel Katz said, "they will not be allowed to return... until we've finished dealing with all the Hamas issues in Hebron" after the army displaced around 2,000 residents.
Israel Katz said, "About 2,000 people were evacuated," and those residents "will not be allowed to return until we finish resolving all issues related to Hamas in Hebron". Boursorama reported that Israel Katz said, "About 2,000 people were evacuated," and it said those residents "will not be allowed to return until we finish resolving all issues related to Hamas in Hebron".
Hebron Operation and Wider Raids
The occupation army continued a wide military operation in Hebron that included evacuating residents, demolishing facilities, and implementing what it called a “Jenin model,” while it expanded military violations across the entire West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its crews treated nine cases of gas suffocation, including six children, due to Israeli army tear gas during the Israeli force’s raid on Halhul in northern Hebron on Saturday evening. The BBC said the military had cordoned off the city, heavily restricting the movement of its 200,000 residents even before the entry and exit bans on workers were announced.
The Palestinian Information Center said Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced an expansion of the military operations in Hebron and imposed a broad closure on the city and the neighboring town of Halhul. The Palestinian Information Center reported that forces searched about 200 sites without finding weapons or military infrastructure and arrested ten Palestinians, while it said the operation lasted several days with Shin Bet, Border Police, and Civil Administration.