Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, ordered the closure of the West Bank following an attack that led to the injury of five Israelis. This incident occurred on Friday, just days before the Israeli elections, and resulted in the death of two Palestinian attackers in a shootout.
Details of the Incident
Netanyahu, who is on the brink of a tight race for re-election on Tuesday, announced that Israeli forces prevented a larger attack. According to officials, the attackers were heavily armed and were traveling in a vehicle. A journalist present at the scene reported seeing two Palestinian men firing handguns and Kalashnikovs at Israeli forces.
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Israeli forces ultimately killed the attackers, and their bodies were found near a gas station by the roadside. The Israeli army stated that soldiers were dispatched to the Judah intersection (or the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint) and took down the two terrorists.
Reactions and New Policies
Israel's medical services, Magen David Adom, reported that of the five injured, two are in critical condition. Following this attack, Netanyahu urged political parties to cancel all political meetings and ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to impose an immediate blockade on the city of Hebron and begin preparations for a complete lockdown across Judea and Samaria.
Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, who has gained high popularity in polls, called for the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority due to this attack. He emphasized that the terrorist infrastructure of this authority must be completely dismantled. While there is no evidence linking the authority to this attack, Hamas, based in Gaza, described the act as a "heroic operation."
Meanwhile, Gadi Eisenkot, former Chief of Staff of the Israeli army and Netanyahu's main rival in the elections, praised the response of Israeli forces and prayed for the swift and complete recovery of the injured.
This incident occurs amid rising tensions in the West Bank due to Israeli attackers against Palestinian farmers and takes place just days before the Israeli elections.
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