Israel orders West Bank closure after soldiers kill 2 Palestinians accused of carrying out attack

HEBRON, West Bank (AP) — Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians who the military said had launched an attack near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning. At least five other people were injured, some critically.

The violence is likely to heighten political tensions and security concerns ahead of Israel’s parliamentary election next week.

The army said it had prevented a “terror attack against Israeli civilians” and that the two men, both Palestinians from Hebron, were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun. It did not identify the target of the alleged attack or those injured.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later said it had instructed security forces to immediately cordon off Hebron and prepare for a full closure of the West Bank starting Friday.

Voters go to the polls Tuesday in an election that will help determine whether Netanyahu secures another term as prime minister. The vote comes three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

Israel’s government has warned of potential attacks by the country’s “enemies” in the lead-up to the election.

Netanyahu holds an emergency meeting

Following the shooting, Netanyahu held an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet and officials from top military and security agencies. He said Hamas was “planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians.”

“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” he said, without elaborating on what the planned attack entailed.

“I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery,” he added but did not say if the wounded were soldiers or civilians.

Earlier Friday, Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for extremist views, said that the attack shows that Israel needs to restrict the Palestinians’ freedom of movement in the West Bank.

“The lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria, of the settlers, the lives of the soldiers, the lives of the police officers, the lives of our fighters are a million times more important than freedom of movement,” he said, using an Israeli reference to the West Bank.

Ahead of the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the war, Netanyahu said the Palestinian militant group could attack Israel in a bid to influence the outcome of the elections. He did not provide evidence to back up the claim.

Dozens arrested in West Bank security operations

Emergency responders said five people were injured, some critically, and were being evacuated to hospitals in Israel. A statement from the responders said gunfire was still ongoing as they arrived at the scene of the attack near the Yehuda Junction in the morning.

Two men in their 20s had gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, and one was unconscious and seriously injured, the responders said.

“We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area,” said Tzuriel Edri with the response team.

An investigation was underway, authorities said.

Also Friday, the army said soldiers and Israeli security and intelligence agencies conducted dozens of operations in the West Bank and apprehended dozens of people, including those affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups. It also said it had located weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns.

Eyal Zamir, the Israeli army’s chief of staff, said a “large quantity of ammunition was found” in a vehicle used by the gunmen.

“This ammunition was intended to be used in a larger-scale attack,” he added.

Palestinian life is ‘impossible,’ says US congressional candidate

Closures of the West Bank are becoming more common. It was the fourth time in the past month that Israel had imposed restrictions across the territory, shutting gates and checkpoints connecting Palestinian villages to major roads.

Roads in the territory remain open to Israeli drivers, including settlers, who can still travel through the area but may face delays.

Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander, who was in the West Bank on Friday, said the Israeli army’s closure following the attack was an example of Israel enforcing an apartheid system on Palestinians.

“It’s part of the effort to take more control, to make Palestinian life impossible,” Lander, who was detained by Israeli forces Wednesday, said in an interview.

Yishai Fleisher, an international spokesperson for Hebron’s Jewish community and a political candidate for the far-right Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party, said Israel had the right to defend itself from a “hostile majority.”

“We are tired of the weapons and the brainwashing and incitement that is next door,” he said.

Shlomo Mor And Sam Mednick, The Associated Press