IDF caught off guard as Jewish families move into 8 West Bank homes near Jericho without approval
The IDF has criticized the uncoordinated arrival of Jewish families at homes near the West Bank city of Jericho, saying Wednesday's move caught both the military and Division 96, which operates in the Jericho area and along Israel's eastern border, by surprise. The army was forced to divert approximately three platoons of combat troops to secure the new residents, pulling them away from other security assignments, including efforts to prevent smuggling along the Jordanian border and additional routine security operations.
Earlier Wednesday, ynet learned that Jewish families had moved into eight homes in Area C - under full Israeli civil and military control - near the Palestinian city of Jericho following a covert operation to purchase the properties. The Nachala settlement movement led the initiative, with the backing and assistance of the Binyamin Regional Council. Security teams prepared for the operation, which was kept secret until the families entered the homes.
The families used a model familiar from Hebron, where Jewish groups have purchased homes from Palestinians and moved into them quickly without coordinating with security authorities. In previous cases in Hebron, the IDF would remove the new occupants until the purchase documents had been verified. In this case, however, the properties are located in Area C, which is under Israeli civilian and security control, and on state land rather than privately owned Palestinian property.
Nevertheless, the homes are situated immediately adjacent to Area A, which is under the Palestinian Authority's civilian and security control, creating potential security risks for the new residents. The military therefore deployed troops to the area, operating on the understanding that the new residents must be protected. In the coming days, the IDF will seek to develop a security arrangement for the families who have moved into the homes.
Earlier Wednesday, responding to questions about the developments near Jericho, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said: "The entry into the homes was carried out without prior coordination with the IDF and without authorization. The purchase process and its resulting security implications are currently being examined by the relevant authorities. IDF forces are present in the area."
Meanwhile, it emerged Wednesday that President Isaac Herzog sent a strongly worded warning letter last month to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra, expressing alarm over the growing threat posed by nationalist violence in the West Bank.
The letter, dated October 8, warned of a potential national and security catastrophe. It was also circulated in recent days to senior IDF General Staff officers, the attorney general and the foreign minister.
"I feel a profound and urgent duty to write to you from the depths of my heart and warn you about the situation I have encountered, because we are one step away from disaster," Herzog wrote. "The very possibility of firearms being used against Israeli civilians, or, God forbid, a deadly attack against members of the security forces, carries the potential for an explosive outcome. An outcome that could lead to civil war."
IDF's 98th Division prepares to leave the West Bank
At the same time, after nearly 40 days of operations, the IDF's 98th Division is expected to conclude its deployment in the Judea and Etzion sectors in the coming days.
In September, in an unusual move, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered additional forces into the West Bank in response to a complex security situation. The deployment came amid tensions surrounding the Jewish holidays and elections, a series of attacks carried out by lone assailants and an increase in nationalist violence.
Zamir deployed the 98th Division primarily to strengthen command and control over forces operating in the Etzion and Judea sectors and maintain operational control of the area. With the tense election period now over, the division is expected to complete its mission, and responsibility for the sectors will return to the IDF's West Bank Division, as before.
However, the 98th Division is being withdrawn despite the absence of an effective solution to nationalist violence, including violence committed by Jewish extremists. The military appears to have been particularly concerned about the convergence of security threats during the recent period of heightened tensions, and with that period now over, the decision was made to withdraw the additional division from the West Bank.
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