Israeli forces likely to withdraw from Hebron after Election Day, officers assess

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According to assessments by officers in the IDF Central Command, Israeli forces will withdraw from Hebron after the elections because the operation has run its course and is generating tensions that serve as "fuel" for incitement and copycat terrorist attacks.

The officers explained that military activity over the past 24 hours has been pointless and is undermining the legitimacy of IDF operations in the area, particularly given the failure to locate weapons or terrorists in the neighborhood.As previously reported, Walla revealed on Monday that a disagreement had emerged between IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, and 98th Division commander Brig.-Gen. Meni Liberty on one side, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on the other, over whether to continue the operation in Hebron.As part of the operation, IDF forces evacuated hundreds of Palestinian families from the neighborhood where the terrorists responsible for Friday's deadly attack at a temporary IDF checkpoint in Hebron had originated.In addition, IDF forces took control of buildings and searched hundreds of structures but failed to locate weapons, military equipment, ammunition, explosives laboratories, or weapons manufacturing facilities.Senior IDF officials call for withdrawal from HebronConsequently, senior IDF officials insisted on withdrawing from the neighborhood, arguing that the operation had achieved all it could.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The article describes the Hebron operation as searches, building takeovers and family removals. It never says that Israeli bulldozers demolished homes and factories in Hebron, including those of families with no claimed link to the attack. A reader believes the operation was limited to searches that found nothing.

How we know

ITV News reported“Everything he owned, destroyed in a matter of minutes by an armed Israeli bulldozer on Friday night.”'We are scared': Palestinians in Hebron fear Israeli forces 'will demolish everything' (opens in a new tab)
Al Jazeera English reported“Israeli bulldozers demolished the factories on Friday without any prior warning or notice”‘Everything destroyed’: Hebron businesses count cost of Israeli assault (opens in a new tab)

However, the prime minister and defense minister insisted that IDF forces remain in place.Security officials explained on Tuesday morning that Operation "Roar of Judah" in Hebron represents "the difference between strategic security thinking and routine security thinking, even when the latter is carried out professionally and effectively by the IDF."The officials said a similar dispute had arisen before the takeover of the refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, between Defense Minister Israel Katz, representing the political leadership, and senior IDF commanders.Ultimately, the various operations went ahead, involving the evacuation of Palestinian residents, the takeover of the camps, the elimination of terrorists and seizure of weapons, extensive destruction of physical infrastructure, including homes, and the widening of roads through narrow streets.Security officials say IDF presence prevents PA from gaining footholdSecurity officials further argued in favor of the continued IDF presence in the camps, preventing residents from returning, and denying the Palestinian Authority a foothold in the camps, maintaining that the PA is neither willing nor capable of combating Palestinian terrorism.

The investigation has also revealed that a substantial Hamas network operating in Hebron was uncovered during the operation and is run by local operatives. Authorities are also examining whether the network received instructions from abroad, including from Hamas operatives in Turkey.According to security officials, the decision to evacuate residents from hundreds of buildings is unprecedented. However, they argued that the small quantity of weapons discovered so far indicates that the operation has not yet exhausted its potential.

Read the original article on jpost.com

What we found (4)

The Jerusalem Post reports an internal Israeli dispute over the Hebron operation through officers and security officials. In its own voice it turns killings in the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps into "the elimination of terrorists". It also states the security services' claims about a Hamas network and the attackers' origins as established fact, though its own report says troops found no weapons.

Writes the death out
Severe
“the elimination of terrorists”
Why this matters
In its own voice, the outlet writes the killing of people in the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps as "the elimination of terrorists". It adds the army's label with no source.
The impression it gives
The camp operations removed armed fighters, a clean military result with no one killed who should not have been.
The context
These were killings by Israeli occupation forces. The article never uses the word killed anywhere, and offers nothing beyond the security establishment's view to show that those killed were terrorists.
How we know
- Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “killed”.
Show it in the article
Written straight
The operations, which the army says targeted militants, involved Israeli forces killing Palestinians in the camps, expelling residents and destroying homes.
States one side's claim as fact
Serious
“The investigation has also revealed that a substantial Hamas network operating in Hebron was uncovered during the operation and is run by local operatives.”
Why this matters
The outlet writes that the investigation "has revealed" a substantial Hamas network, with no source named and no attribution.
The impression it gives
It is established that the Hebron operation exposed a large Hamas network, which justifies the operation.
The context
This is the security services' claim. The same article reports that troops searched hundreds of structures and found no weapons, ammunition or explosives laboratories. Other coverage reports the army's Hamas link only as a claim.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“failed to locate weapons, military equipment, ammunition, explosives laboratories, or weapons manufacturing facilities”
- The Guardian reported“which the army claimed was “associated with Hamas””‘It’s collective punishment’: nearly 2,000 Palestinians in Hebron displaced as Israeli forces take over homes (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
“had originated”
Why this matters
The outlet states as fact that the attackers came from the neighbourhood whose families were forced out.
The impression it gives
The mass removal was aimed at the attackers' own community, so it was targeted.
The context
Other coverage reports the attackers' origin as an army allegation, and reports homes demolished with no claim their owners were involved.
How we know
- The Guardian reported“from which the gunmen were allegedly drawn”‘It’s collective punishment’: nearly 2,000 Palestinians in Hebron displaced as Israeli forces take over homes (opens in a new tab)
- ITV News reported“But there’s no claim the Imraishs were in any way involved”'We are scared': Palestinians in Hebron fear Israeli forces 'will demolish everything' (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Written straight
Security officials claim the operation uncovered a Hamas network run by local operatives; troops found no weapons in hundreds of searched buildings.
Labels people on one side's word
Minor
“the terrorists responsible for Friday's deadly attack”
Why this matters
The outlet calls the two Palestinian attackers, who were shot dead, "the terrorists" in its own voice, with no attribution.
The impression it gives
The term is a settled, neutral fact about who the men were and what the event was.
The context
The paper's own earlier report says the IOF was trying to classify the incident as an encounter between troops and attackers, not a terrorist attack. Other outlets describe a shooting attack by two Palestinians on a military checkpoint. The label comes from the army and the government.
How we know
- The Jerusalem Post wrote earlier“The IDF is making an effort to characterize Friday's incident in Hebron as an encounter between combat troops and two terrorists, rather than a terrorist attack”IDF pushing for Hebron attack to be classified as clash between soldiers, terrorists, not terror (opens in a new tab)
- Al Jazeera English reported“following a shooting attack carried out by two Palestinians that morning near Hebron’s western entrance”‘Everything destroyed’: Hebron businesses count cost of Israeli assault (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
What is missing
The article describes the Hebron operation as searches, building takeovers and family removals. It never says that Israeli bulldozers demolished homes and factories in Hebron, including those of families with no claimed link to the attack. A reader believes the operation was limited to searches that found nothing.
How we know
- ITV News reported“Everything he owned, destroyed in a matter of minutes by an armed Israeli bulldozer on Friday night.”'We are scared': Palestinians in Hebron fear Israeli forces 'will demolish everything' (opens in a new tab)
- Al Jazeera English reported“Israeli bulldozers demolished the factories on Friday without any prior warning or notice”‘Everything destroyed’: Hebron businesses count cost of Israeli assault (opens in a new tab)
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Israeli forces likely to withdraw from Hebron after Election Day, officers assess

Writes the death out

States one side's claim as fact

Labels people on one side's word

Leaves out what changes the picture

How other outlets reported it

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