Israel to close West Bank crossings on election day amid crackdown

Israel will close all West Bank land crossings and bar Palestinian workers from entering settlements during Tuesday's election, the military announced, amid an escalating crackdown in the occupied territory following the killing of two Israeli soldiers. The Israel Defense Forces imposed the entry and exit ban on Palestinian workers across Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones, with most workers also barred from settlements starting Sunday. The restrictions follow a major operation launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers at a checkpoint, with hundreds of families displaced in Hebron. The crackdown comes days before Israel's election, with Hebron's mayor accusing Netanyahu of seeking far-right votes. Netanyahu has threatened a "very big surprise" for the Palestinian Authority, while Israeli rights groups criticize home demolitions as collective punishment.