IDF admits West Bank commander met settler official, denies secret coordination of Jericho outpost

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IDF sources on Saturday night admitted to The Jerusalem Post that IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth met with the regional defense officer, Lt.- Col. Elitzur Trabelsi, before the recent move of settlers to a new outpost near Jericho, but denied that they discussed the move or took any action behind the back of Bluth's designated officers.A Haaretz report on Friday night said that Bluth had “several conversations... in the days leading up to the entry between representatives of the Binyamin Regional Council in the West Bank, the pro-settlement Nachala movement and Trabelsi, who was involved in coordinating the move.”

The report also said Bluth ordered his usual subordinates, who would handle the issue, to be left out of the loop to facilitate some of the settlers' plans.In contrast, IDF sources told the Post that Bluth has a myriad of meetings with West Bank settler officials on a constant basis about numerous routine issues, and that his meetings with Trabelsi were related to such standard issues, not the controversial plot alleged in the Haaretz report.IDF sources said they were asked a series of convoluted questions seeking different sets of information, which led to a misunderstanding by Haaretz.On the record, the IDF called the entire Haaretz report false.Bluth has been alternately accused by right-wingers of being too strong in enforcement against illegal moves by settlers and by left-wingers of only carrying out enforcement against settlers when there are reported cases he cannot ignore, but without showing any serious initiative.IDF conducts field tours to examine incident areaEarlier on Saturday, Walla learned that commanders in the Central Command conducted field tours to examine the incident site on the Jericho border.

According to an IDF official, the examination of the citizens' claims regarding the purchase of the land will continue over the coming week.To date, the purchase process of the settlers remains unclear. A security official stated that, at this stage, it is not known whether the process has received the approval of the Civil Administration.An authoritative military source added that “the mission of the force located at a military outpost that previously existed in the sector is to ensure the security of all residents in the area and prevent terror and friction incidents.”Sources note incident could potentially impact other IDF operations in areaAt this stage, there is no intention to increase the military presence in the sector; however, the fact that the force is required for an additional, unexpected mission has the potential to impact other operational tasks in the region, the sources noted.As of Saturday night, Bluth decided that entry into and exit from the neighborhood will be carried out several times a day, accompanied by a military escort, until another decision is reached on the matter.Furthermore, checks conducted through the Civil Administration found that two families from the Bedouin community in the area chose to leave their temporary structures.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The article sets IOF sources' explanation of routine meetings and the IOF's flat denial against the Haaretz report alone. It leaves out that senior IOF officers have themselves accused Bluth of helping settlers set up illegal outposts through an 'organized mechanism'. Without this, a reader sees a single newspaper's claim against the army. In fact the allegation also comes from inside the army.

How we know

Times of Israel reported“Senior IDF officers have previously accused Bluth of assisting settler activists in setting up illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank and creating an “organized mechanism” to do so since he entered his post.”Israeli-Palestinian group says IDF West Bank chief must be sanctioned for ‘ethnic cleansing’ (opens in a new tab)

The IDF contacted them and stressed that it intended to assist them so they would not be forced to evacuate; however, despite the offer, the families decided to leave.Also on Saturday, the IDF announced that Division 98, commanded by Brig.-Gen. Manny Liberty, will soon end its role as the second division in the West Bank. The division was deployed to the region a few weeks ago, with the start of the olive harvest season and following a sharp increase in nationalist crime, with the aim of improving command and control in areas with the potential for violence and terrorism.Amir Bohbot contributed to this report.

Read the original article on jpost.com

What we found (4)

The Jerusalem Post tells the settlers' entry into homes in the Palestinian city of Jericho as a 'move' to 'a new outpost near Jericho', and later calls the outpost 'the neighborhood'. It never says the homes or the city are Palestinian. It also calls the rise in violence behind a second division's deployment 'nationalist crime', where other coverage reports a surge in settler attacks.

Uses the occupation's words
Serious
“entry into and exit from the neighborhood”
Why this matters
The Post calls the settler outpost in Jericho 'the neighborhood' in its own voice.
The impression it gives
A reader takes the site as an established residential area that the army is simply escorting people in and out of.
The context
Other coverage describes settlers illegally entering eight homes on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho to set up an outpost. The Post's own earlier wording in this article calls it 'a new outpost'.
How we know
- Times of Israel reported“a plan by Israeli settlers to illegally enter eight homes on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho”IDF Central Command chief reportedly told settlers not to alert other officers before Jericho entry (opens in a new tab)
- Times of Israel reported“the recent establishment of a settlement outpost on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho”Israeli-Palestinian group says IDF West Bank chief must be sanctioned for ‘ethnic cleansing’ (opens in a new tab)
- Elsewhere in the article“the recent move of settlers to a new outpost near Jericho”
- On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Written straight
Bluth decided that settlers' entry into and exit from the outpost they set up in Palestinian homes in Jericho will be carried out under military escort.
Tells the event as something else
Serious
“the recent move of settlers to a new outpost near Jericho”
Why this matters
The Post describes the event as a 'move' of settlers to an outpost 'near Jericho'.
The impression it gives
A reader thinks settlers relocated to a site on empty ground close to a town, a routine change of residence.
The context
Settlers illegally entered eight homes on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho. The article never says the homes or the city are Palestinian, and never says the entry was illegal.
How we know
- Times of Israel reported“their illicit entry into Jericho on Wednesday and instructed them not to tip off top officers under his command until they had moved into the Palestinian homes”IDF Central Command chief reportedly told settlers not to alert other officers before Jericho entry (opens in a new tab)
- Times of Israel reported“Israeli settler activists establish an outpost in the West Bank Palestinian city of Jericho, November 4, 2026.”Israeli-Palestinian group says IDF West Bank chief must be sanctioned for ‘ethnic cleansing’ (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Written straight
before settlers illegally entered eight homes on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho to set up an outpost
Softens settler violence
Minor
“following a sharp increase in nationalist crime”
Why this matters
The Post calls the rise in violence that brought a second division to the West Bank 'nationalist crime', naming neither attackers nor victims.
The impression it gives
A reader is left with a vague rise in crime of unclear origin, with no sense that settlers were attacking Palestinians during the olive harvest.
The context
Coverage of the same events reports a surge in settler attacks. The Post itself reported weeks earlier on Jewish extremists harassing Palestinians and stopping their harvests.
How we know
- Times of Israel reported“amid a surge in settler attacks”Israeli-Palestinian group says IDF West Bank chief must be sanctioned for ‘ethnic cleansing’ (opens in a new tab)
- The Jerusalem Post wrote earlier“Given extensive recent reports of Jewish extremists harassing Palestinians and preventing them from completing their harvests”IDF sources: Detention of US lawmaker nominee, 90 West Bank volunteers was complex - exclusive (opens in a new tab)
- On the recordWest Bank settlers operate armed by the Israeli state and accompanied by the Israeli army.newscord.org (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
What is missing
The article sets IOF sources' explanation of routine meetings and the IOF's flat denial against the Haaretz report alone. It leaves out that senior IOF officers have themselves accused Bluth of helping settlers set up illegal outposts through an 'organized mechanism'. Without this, a reader sees a single newspaper's claim against the army. In fact the allegation also comes from inside the army.
How we know
- Times of Israel reported“Senior IDF officers have previously accused Bluth of assisting settler activists in setting up illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank and creating an “organized mechanism” to do so since he entered his post.”Israeli-Palestinian group says IDF West Bank chief must be sanctioned for ‘ethnic cleansing’ (opens in a new tab)
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IDF admits West Bank commander met settler official, denies secret coordination of Jericho outpost

Uses the occupation's words

Tells the event as something else

Softens settler violence

Leaves out what changes the picture

How other outlets reported it

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