Israeli Alert in Anticipation of Escalation in the West Bank: "The Sequence of Events Could Ignite the Region"

SadaNews - The Israeli army is preparing for an escalation in the occupied West Bank, with an Israeli report indicating fears of operations carried out by Palestinians and terrorist attacks committed by settlers that could ignite the region.

Israeli security officials stated that "the sharp increase in the number of settlement outposts and farms in 'Judea and Samaria' (the occupied West Bank) has led to daily confrontations between Jews (settlers) and Palestinians in recent weeks, overshadowing attempts to thwart attacks," indicating that "the sequence of recent events could ignite the region"; according to what was reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (Kan 11) on Saturday evening.

In the last two days, five new settlement outposts have been established near the village of Tal south-west of Nablus, where a terrorist settler attack occurred on Friday morning, resulting in four martyrs and the death of an Israeli officer and soldier. The Israeli security establishment has decided at this stage not to evacuate the settlement outposts until further notice.

Since dawn on Saturday, Israeli army forces have been conducting a series of incursions into several towns and cities in the West Bank, coinciding with escalating and ongoing settler attacks, with the Israeli army announcing the arrest of more than 70 Palestinians and questioning hundreds following the terrorist attack in the village of Tal.

The "Walla" news site quoted a senior officer in the Israeli army's central command, stating that intelligence services and field commanders have long indicated in assessments of the situation a "very high level of tension".

He stated that the Chief of Staff of the army, Eyal Zamir, decided to reduce the troop presence in Lebanon and Gaza and transfer an additional brigade to the occupied West Bank prior to the attack that occurred in the village of Tal, noting that more combat battalions are expected to arrive following the attack.

The Israeli officer pointed out that in recent years, 19 new settlements have been established that require protection, amid the expansion of illegal outposts. He stated: "So far, without counting the new outposts established last night, there are 80 new outposts in addition to 126 farms in 'Judea and Samaria' (the occupied West Bank) not including the Jordan Valley, which poses a significant challenge in securing the area from operations."

He also mentioned that "the violent outposts are among the events that challenge our ability to control the area and enforce law and order," emphasizing that "we are approaching tense days and weeks."

These developments come after four Palestinians were martyred by the occupation forces' gunfire, and four others were injured in the town of Tal southwest of Nablus, following an armed settler attack on the town and assaults on the residents and their properties.

In contrast, the Israeli army announced the death of an officer and a soldier and the injury of three others during events near the settlement outpost "Havat Gilad," before imposing a siege on the city of Nablus and the town of Tal, and sending military reinforcements to the West Bank.

Netanyahu and his Security Minister Direct Measures in the West Bank Including Revocation of Work Permits and Acceleration of New Settlement Outposts Establishment

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Security Minister Israel Katz, issued on Friday, "instructions to the army" regarding the West Bank, following consultations with members of the security cabinet and heads of security services, to implement a series of measures in light of recent events.

The Israeli General Security Service (Shabak) also announced the issuance of instructions to carry out "offensive" operations in the West Bank, stating in a statement that its head, David Zini, "conducted a situation assessment at the operation site, with Shabak leaders in the Samaria region (the West Bank), and Israeli army leaders. In this context, instructions were issued to intensify information-gathering operations and Shabak activities in the villages of the area, in addition to additional offensive operations against 'terrorist infrastructures'," according to the statement's description.