Netanyahu orders 250,000 Hebron residents to leave after checkpoint firefight

Two Israeli soldiers died and three others were wounded when gunmen opened fire at a temporary checkpoint outside Hebron, triggering a declaration of collective punishment against the Palestinian city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a siege on Hebron and the neighboring town of Halhul, ordering residents of the attackers' home neighborhoods to evacuate. He also promised mass demolitions of homes, with the first structure torn down within hours of the shooting.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right figure, posted a video showing himself in front of a bulldozer dismantling a Palestinian home near the site. He stated that the demolition, targeting a building constructed without permits, was intended to create deterrence and exact a price. No connection was claimed between the building's owners and the two men who carried out the attack. Both gunmen, armed with an assault rifle and a handgun, were driving a car with Israeli number plates. They were killed in a 20-minute gunfight after soldiers stopped the vehicle.

The swift action drew legal challenge. Shortly after demolition work began, Israel's high court issued a temporary order halting the destruction. Human rights lawyer Mohammed Dahleh filed an urgent petition on behalf of two nearby factory owners. He argued that the measure breached international law regarding collective punishment as well as Israeli administrative law. Dahleh described the events as an attempt to copy illegal practices previously used in Gaza, but in the heart of the West Bank.

Michael Sfard, a leading Israeli lawyer, called Smotrich's video a direct admission that the demolitions amounted to collective punishment. He noted that deterrence has been used as a justification for such measures since antiquity. Defense Minister Israel Katz reinforced the government's stance, promising further mass demolitions and forced displacement. He explicitly compared the situation to the Jenin refugee camp, where nearly 20,000 people have been displaced. Katz stated that every clan neighborhood from which terrorists emerged would be evacuated of its residents.

Hebron is the largest Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank, with approximately 250,000 residents. Netanyahu said plans were drawn up for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967. He noted that no specific date had been set, but the operation is on the way. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also visited Hebron on Friday. He demanded the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and tighter limits on Palestinian movement.

The incident occurred against a backdrop of rising tensions. Since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, the West Bank has seen increased settlement expansion and violence, with more than 1,100 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers. Attacks have intensified since the olive harvest began in late September. Polls suggest the governing far-right coalition may lose its majority in Tuesday's elections. A week prior, settlers severely injured photographer Heidi Levine while she documented attacks on Palestinians harvesting olives.

Following the checkpoint shooting, prominent Israelis shared conspiracy theories linking an AFP photographer who witnessed the exchange to the gunmen. The Foreign Press Association described the claims as dangerous and defamatory. It noted the photographer is a longtime professional who documented events in keeping with his duties. The episode added to a week of scrutiny over the presence of media personnel in the conflict zone.