Hebron Demolitions: Netanyahu Announces Sweep as Election Nears
Israeli forces have leveled streets and displaced hundreds of families in Hebron four days before a national vote.
By John Ferrari ·
Israeli military forces launched a large-scale demolition campaign in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, targeting structures in two specific neighborhoods. The operation resulted in the displacement of hundreds of families and the sealing of the city, which restricts movement for its 200,000 residents. Footage circulated online showed bulldozers leveling at least one entire street.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the initiative following an attack on a checkpoint that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. Both Palestinian gunmen involved in the attack were killed. Netanyahu stated that buildings near the attack site and the neighborhoods where the gunmen originated would be destroyed. He traveled to Hebron wearing protective armor and posted a video from the scene, detailing plans to clear houses and remove weapons.
Local officials confirmed the immediate impact of the operation. Hebron Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari said the sweep focused on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa areas, hitting homes, businesses, and industrial sites. He reported that dozens of families were forced to spend the night outdoors, with some unable to retrieve their vehicles. The city’s governor and deputy mayor stated that at least 200 families had been displaced. Al-Jaabari estimated the military intends to displace 2,500 people from a 0.35 square kilometer section of urban land.
The timing of the operation coincides with Israel’s general election, which is four days away. Netanyahu, whose campaign emphasizes security, canceled his party’s Friday morning campaign events to oversee the operation. He described the action as part of a review for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, though he did not specify a timeline for that broader plan. In a separate interview with i24 television, he threatened a significant surprise for the Palestinian Authority.
Political reactions have emerged from both sides. The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action to prevent further forced displacement. Within the Israeli government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a campaign similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. Mayor al-Jaabari told journalists that the operation was driven by the elections, asserting that Netanyahu and his ministers were attempting to secure votes from the far right and settler communities.
