Israeli army launches major West Bank operation ahead of election

irishtimes.com —

The Israeli military conducted a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinians and restricting movement following a gun attack that killed two soldiers and wounded three others in Hebron on Friday. The military said it operated in more than 400 locations and arrested 40 Palestinians affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Palestinian workers' permits to enter Israeli communities were suspended, and crossings into Israel remain closed until after Tuesday's election, which is seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's security policies. The operation displaced 200 to 300 families from Deir Bahha and surrounding areas, with some navigating crossings on foot. Six Israelis and 112 Palestinians have been killed in West Bank violence this year. Meanwhile, investor Bill Ackman said far-right politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich should not serve in Israel's next government, citing reputational damage.


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