With Israel’s parliamentary election just days away, an expanding military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron has already forced approximately 1,200 Palestinians from their homes, while another 1,300 face the threat of displacement and property demolitions.
More troubling for residents, the operation may not end soon. Israel’s public broadcaster, citing security sources, reported that the military campaign is expected to continue until the Israeli elections scheduled for 27 October, raising questions about the timing of the operation and its potential political implications.
The developments have prompted accusations from Palestinian officials that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is using military escalation in Hebron to consolidate support among Israeli settlers ahead of a closely watched parliamentary vote.
Two Soldiers Killed, Thousands of Palestinians Face the Consequences
The operation began following an armed attack on an Israeli military checkpoint near Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers.
According to the Israeli military, two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on the checkpoint before being shot dead by Israeli forces.
Netanyahu subsequently announced a large-scale military operation on Friday, extending the army’s presence across areas near the entrance to the city.
Israeli forces have concentrated their activities in the Al-Jalda and Ain Deir Baha neighbourhoods, claiming that the operation is intended to locate armed Palestinians and weapons.
The military has also announced plans to carry out demolitions in the area, adding to concerns among Palestinian residents already facing displacement.
On Saturday, Reuters quoted a Palestinian official confirming that Israeli forces had compelled approximately 1,200 people to leave their homes, just one day after the checkpoint attack.
What began as a military response to the killing of two soldiers has consequently developed into a wider operation affecting Palestinian residential neighbourhoods and civilian properties.
Another 1,300 Palestinians Could Lose Their Homes
Hebron Mayor Youssef Zuheir al-Jabari warned that the displacement could expand considerably.
According to the mayor, approximately 1,300 additional Palestinians are at risk of losing their homes, beyond the 1,200 residents already forced to leave.
The threatened demolitions are not limited to residential buildings. Al-Jabari said Israeli measures have also involved the destruction of shops, factories, homes and roads, affecting both the living conditions and economic livelihoods of Palestinian residents.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the operation as “collective punishment”, criticising the displacement of civilians and destruction of Palestinian property.
The scale of the measures has intensified concerns that the military campaign could produce consequences extending well beyond the areas immediately surrounding the checkpoint where the soldiers were killed.
Is Netanyahu Turning Hebron Into an Election Battleground?
The political timing of the Israeli military campaign has become a central point of contention.
Al-Jabari accused Netanyahu’s government of exploiting the operation to secure electoral gains as Israel approaches its parliamentary elections.
He pointed to opinion polls suggesting that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition could lose its parliamentary majority, placing additional pressure on the prime minister and his political allies.
According to the Hebron mayor, Netanyahu and the far-right ministers in his government are seeking to attract additional votes from Israeli settlers through their actions in the occupied West Bank.
Al-Jabari described the destruction of homes, businesses, factories and roads as a disproportionate and unjustified response to the checkpoint attack.
His accusations come as Israeli security sources indicate that the military operation could remain in place until election day, effectively extending its duration into the final stage of the electoral campaign.
The reported timetable does not itself establish an electoral motive, but it has added to Palestinian concerns about the relationship between military decisions in the occupied territories and Israel’s domestic political calculations.
Arrests Mount as Military Operations Continue
Alongside the displacement and threatened demolitions, Israeli forces have carried out a wave of arrests in Hebron.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club reported that approximately 70 Palestinians were detained over Friday and Saturday as the military operation continued.
The arrests add another dimension to the mounting pressure on Palestinian communities in the city, where residents are already confronting the loss of their homes, restrictions associated with the military operation and the possibility of further demolitions.
The developments come against the backdrop of escalating Israeli military activity across the occupied West Bank.
For families in Hebron, the immediate concern is not Israel’s election outcome, but whether they will be able to return to their homes, and whether those homes will still be standing when the operation ends.
