Palestinian Attack in Hebron Follows Months of Rising Tensions
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On October 2023, two Palestinians carried out an attack near the northern entrance of Hebron, killing two Israeli soldiers and injuring three others. The incident was not an isolated event but the result of months of escalating tensions and violence in the West Bank. The attackers, Hamouda Jabaa and Faras Jabaa, were responding to a long-standing accumulation of anger among Palestinians due to increasing Israeli settler crimes and military actions in the West Bank.
Following the attack, the Israeli military closed the Hebron district behind 211 checkpoints and gates, displacing around 1,500 Palestinians. The Ibrahimi Mosque was also closed, and administrative control of Hebron was transferred to the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba. Palestinians fear this could be a prelude to further Israeli actions. Hebron is currently divided by 221 Israeli checkpoints, which have fragmented daily life and contributed to growing anger among the local population.
In January 2023, around 300 Israeli settlers attacked the villages of Halawa and Fakhit in Masafer Yatta, injuring residents, burning homes, and stealing livestock. The settlers also blocked ambulances from reaching the injured. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights documented at least 10 serious attacks in January, including the use of a bulldozer by settlers to injure a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, who suffered a broken leg. The Commissioner noted that such attacks had become almost daily occurrences, displacing large numbers of Palestinians with the support of Israeli security forces.
In February 2023, four Palestinians were injured in an attack by Israeli settlers in the village of Zahra. That same night, Israeli forces raided the village, located 24 kilometers southwest of Hebron, firing live and rubber bullets at residents. By that time, the total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since the beginning of the year had reached 47, with 13 of those killed by settlers.
In March 2023, the Israeli government secretly approved the establishment of 34 new settlements in the West Bank, four of which were located in Hebron. This decision was made public only after two weeks. The increasing number of settlements and the resulting displacement of Palestinians have further exacerbated tensions in the region.
CONTEXT: The escalating violence and settler activities in the West Bank have significant implications for regional stability and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The ongoing tensions highlight the complex dynamics at play, including the impact of Israeli military actions, settler violence, and the broader political context. The situation in Hebron, in particular, underscores the deep-seated grievances and the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of the conflict.
