Israel Seals Hebron After Checkpoint Shootout Kills Two Soldiers

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a siege of Hebron and the neighboring town of Halhul on Friday, mandating the forced eviction of residents from specific neighborhoods. The directive follows a firefight at a temporary checkpoint outside Hebron that left two Israeli soldiers dead and three others wounded. Netanyahu stated that all inhabitants of the gunmen's home areas would be expelled and promised widespread demolition of private homes.

The conflict began when two armed men, driving a vehicle with Israeli license plates, opened fire after being stopped at the checkpoint. The Israeli military reported that the attackers carried an assault rifle and a handgun. A 20-minute gunfight ensued, during which both men were killed. An AFP photographer who witnessed the exchange confirmed seeing two Palestinian men firing automatic weapons at the forces.

Ministers moved to the site quickly to campaign ahead of Tuesday's general elections. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich filmed a bulldozer demolishing a Palestinian home near the shooting location. He described the action as a way to create deterrence and exact a price, noting the building lacked construction permits. No connection was established between the home's owners and the attackers.

Defence Minister Israel Katz expanded the scope of the plan, drawing a direct comparison to operations in Gaza. He declared that Hebron would be treated like the Jenin refugee camp, where nearly 20,000 people have been displaced. Katz vowed to evacuate every clan neighborhood from which the terrorists emerged. Hebron, the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, is home to approximately 250,000 residents.

Legal challenges arose immediately after the initial demolition work started. Human rights lawyer Mohammed Dahleh filed an urgent petition with Israel's high court on behalf of two factory owners. The court issued a temporary order halting the demolitions. Dahleh argued the actions breached international law regarding collective punishment and Israeli administrative rules, stating the measures copied illegal practices previously used in Gaza.

Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli lawyer, characterized Smotrich's video as a direct admission that the demolitions constituted collective punishment. He noted that deterrence has served as a justification for such measures since ancient times. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also visited the city on Friday, demanding the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and stricter movement restrictions.

The military announced it is drawing up plans for the largest West Bank operation since 1967. Netanyahu said no date has been set for the operation, but he described it as being on the way. The surge in violence has intensified since the olive harvest began in late September, with more than 1,100 Palestinians killed by forces or settlers since October 2023.