Israel wants to seal off the West Bank on election day

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday that all land crossings between Israel and the occupied West Bank will be closed during Tuesday’s parliamentary elections. The military stated that Palestinian workers will face a total ban on entering and exiting Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones, for the duration of Election Day on October 27. This restriction follows an order issued on Saturday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who directed the military to prepare for a full lockdown of the West Bank. The decision comes amidst an escalating military campaign in the territory triggered by a deadly attack near Hebron earlier in the week. The immediate trigger for these measures was a shooting incident on Friday in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others injured at a checkpoint near Hebron. According to the IDF, the two suspected Palestinian gunmen responsible for the attack were also killed. In response, Netanyahu ordered the military to cordon off the city and implement additional security measures. He described the targeted neighborhood as a location that needed to be destroyed, stating that the army would evacuate residents. The Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the attack but did not formally claim responsibility for carrying it out. Military operations intensified significantly over the weekend. The IDF reported conducting anti-terrorism activities in approximately 40 areas across the West Bank, involving roughly 400 specific locations. Soldiers, along with border police and intelligence services, apprehended approximately 40 suspects, including members affiliated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad organization. On Sunday alone, Israeli forces detained another 20 individuals across the broader Hebron Governorate. The military characterized its actions as a targeted operation designed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and prevent future attacks. Displacement of residents in Hebron has become a central point of contention regarding the scale of the operation. Figures vary among officials and local leaders. Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari told Al Jazeera that 2,200 people had been forced from their homes since the raids began on Friday. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed a figure of around 2,000 displaced residents while speaking to the Israeli broadcaster Kan. Katz stated that selected army units were currently operating in the area and that Palestinians would not be permitted to return until all issues related to Hamas in Hebron were resolved. Conversely, the Palestinian News Agency reported that more than 200 families were displaced over the preceding three days, with approximately 2,500 people forcibly removed from the al-Jilda and Ain Deir Baha neighborhoods. Local media cited figures closer to 1,500 affected individuals. The IDF maintained that civilians were not forced to evacuate. A military statement asserted that residents were permitted to leave voluntarily through designated screening points to reduce risks to civilians. The army acknowledged the demolition of several structures in Hebron, describing them as posing security threats or being built illegally. The IDF claimed that demolitions were carried out in accordance with international law to enforce order. However, B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, condemned the plans to forcibly displace residents and carry out widespread destruction. It is noted that Israeli forces frequently demolish homes of Palestinians suspected of attacking Israelis, a practice criticized by rights groups as collective punishment. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees civilian affairs in the West Bank, stated he personally ordered the immediate demolition of a row of illegal structures following the shooting. He warned on social media that anyone interfering with Israel would pay a painful price. In the Hebron neighborhood of Ein Deir Baha, witnesses described a scene of abandonment, with buildings marked by crosses and streets patrolled by military vehicles. One resident, Higazi Shawer al-Tamimi, said he was woken at 1 a.m. by soldiers demanding he leave immediately. He noted that elderly relatives, including a 90-year-old woman, had to be carried out due to illness. The political context of the election adds complexity to the situation. Opinion polls indicate a tight race between Netanyahu’s Likud party and opposition blocs, with no clear majority emerging. Key issues include foreign policy, accountability for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, and the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men. Before the current escalation, more than 100,000 Palestinian workers held permits to enter Israel. Following the 2023 attacks, that number dropped sharply. Current data indicates only 44,000 workers hold permits, down from nearly 200,000 prior to the conflict, according to the International Labour Organization. Protests erupted in Tel Aviv on Saturday, three days before the vote. Thousands gathered in an anti-government demonstration organized by the October Council, a group founded by families of victims and hostages from the 2023 attack. Leaders of four main opposition parties attended, including former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who is running against Netanyahu. Protesters demanded accountability for the failure to prevent the initial Hamas assault. Meanwhile, reports indicated that the Likud party was developing technical methods to monitor its voter base on election day, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling banning the use of a large voter database for such purposes. The outcome of the election remains uncertain, with analysts describing the political landscape as deeply divided.