Hebron: Thousands of Palestinians forced from homes as U.N. criticizes closure
After a deadly attack on two Israeli soldiers, Israel’s army is clearing entire neighborhoods in Hebron. Figures for the number of displaced range from 1,200 to 2,200.
Symbolic image · Photo: Mohammad Nabeel07 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Following an attack on a military post near Hebron in which two armed Palestinians killed two Israeli soldiers on Friday, Israel’s army has launched a massive operation in the city in the occupied West Bank. The attackers were shot dead, according to the military. About 1,200 people have had to leave their homes, according to a Palestinian official, while Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari told Al Jazeera the figure was 2,200 and Defense Minister Israel Katz put it at about 2,000. Al-Jabari warned that about 1,300 more people risk losing their homes, Reuters reported.
The army said it was searching the Al-Jalada and Ein Deir Baha neighborhoods for militants and weapons and would demolish buildings; The Times of Israel cited “targeted and thorough searches” over several days. Katz said residents would not be allowed back until Hamas structures in Hebron had been eliminated, according to Al Jazeera. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered a full closure of the West Bank. About 70 people were detained on Friday and Saturday, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.
The Palestinian Authority spoke of “collective punishment” and called for international intervention. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the closures severely restrict freedom of movement and access to basic services and livelihoods. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem warned of possible war crimes. Israel’s parliamentary election takes place on Tuesday.