Israel to Shut All West Bank Crossings on Election Day as Hebron Lockdown Continues
Israel says it will close all land crossings with the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, the day of its general election.
In a statement early on Sunday, the Israeli army said it would bar Palestinian workers from entering most areas of the West Bank from Sunday through Monday. A full closure of crossings into and out of the territory will be enforced on Tuesday, the day of the vote.
The announcement comes a day after the Israeli army imposed a lockdown in Hebron, forcing thousands of Palestinians from their homes.
Since Friday’s attack by two Palestinian gunmen on an Israeli army reserve base, which killed two Israeli soldiers, Israel has conducted hundreds of raids. The two Palestinian attackers were also killed.
Following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a “full lockdown” of the occupied West Bank. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that about 2,000 people had been displaced.
In an interview with public broadcaster Kan, Katz said they would not be allowed to return to their neighbourhood until Israel had finished dealing with all the Hamas issues in Hebron.
Hebron’s Mayor Yousef al-Ja’bari told Al Jazeera that the city of Hebron and several neighbouring villages were under a complete blockade.
He also said on Saturday that 2,200 people had been forced from their homes by Israeli troops and raids.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, has called for international pressure to protect Hebron’s residents. Residents said soldiers announced forced evacuation orders over loudspeakers late at night, leaving them with no time to prepare and few places to go.
The Palestinian Authority called Israel’s actions “collective punishment”, citing the demolition of homes, forced displacement of entire neighbourhoods, and the “closure and siege of Palestinian cities”.
About 200,000 Palestinians live in the city of Hebron, and a further 600,000 in Hebron governorate, making it the West Bank’s most populous area.
The Israeli military has said the operation will last several days. But Netanyahu suggested bigger action was coming, saying he was planning an operation on a scale not seen since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is facing a tight race for a new term in Tuesday’s vote. Analysts say he is trying to capitalise on ongoing regional military conflicts and national security fears to anchor his re-election campaign.
It remains to be seen how much further the full crossing closure on election day and the Hebron lockdown will inflame the situation in the coming days.
