The Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of pursuing a policy to reduce the occupied West Bank to rubble, akin to the devastation wrought in Gaza. This assertion was made in a scathing editorial published today by the Israeli daily Haaretz.
The editorial highlights the increasing tensions in the West Bank amidst Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of nearly 46,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that at least 844 Palestinians have been killed and over 6,700 injured in the West Bank by Israeli military fire during this period.
“An opportunity for redemption”
According to Haaretz, while most Israelis view the Hamas attack as the country’s most devastating event in recent history, elements on the political right see it as “an opportunity” for their broader territorial and ideological goals. Netanyahu’s government has intensified military operations in the West Bank following the killing of three illegal Israeli settlers on Monday.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich escalated these tensions by calling for the destruction of Palestinian cities like Jenin and Nablus, drawing comparisons to the obliteration of Gaza’s Jabalia neighbourhood during a recent Israeli offensive. The editorial also noted that illegal settlers in the West Bank are demanding similar measures to those carried out in Gaza.
Settler attacks and escalating violence
Illegal Israeli settlers have reportedly taken matters into their own hands, attacking Palestinian towns in the West Bank, torching cars, and damaging property in retaliatory acts. These actions have drawn condemnation from Palestinian rights groups and international observers.
“The settlers in the West Bank see what’s happening in Gaza and are envious,” observed the Haaretz editorial. It accused settlers of pressuring the government and military to implement the same destructive strategies in the West Bank that were used in Gaza.
Calls for a “profound change of perception”
Yair Shtebon, Mayor of Ariel, a major Israeli settlement, has called for a large-scale military operation in the West Bank. Comparing his demand to the military campaign of 2002, he urged the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to “destroy the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria, in Tulkarem, in Jenin, in Nablus, and wherever there is a threat to residents of Israel.”
These sentiments were echoed by members of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, including Avichay Buaron, who argued for the Palestinian Authority to be disarmed of its political and military capabilities.
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Haaretz warns of “greater Israel apartheid”
The Haaretz editorial issued a stark warning about the potential long-term implications of current Israeli policies in the West Bank. It suggested that when settlers advocate for “uprooting terrorism,” they are effectively calling for the forced displacement of Palestinians, the demolition of homes, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
“The goal,” said the editorial, “is to impose Greater Israel apartheid in the occupied territories. If they succeed, they will put an end to any future possibility of a two-state solution and sustainable life in the region.”
International legal context
The growing international scrutiny on Israel’s policies in the West Bank follows a landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2024. The ICJ declared Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territories illegal under international law and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Despite this, Israeli officials have dismissed the ruling, and settlement activities have continued unabated.
A region on the brink
As violence escalates and calls for more aggressive actions grow louder, concerns about the humanitarian and political consequences of Israel’s policies in the occupied territories are mounting. Critics argue that the ongoing military actions and settler attacks risk plunging the West Bank into a similar state of devastation as Gaza, leaving lasting scars on the region and undermining hopes for peace.
The Haaretz editorial serves as a stark reminder of the dire stakes for Palestinians and Israelis alike in a conflict that continues to deepen divisions and fuel instability in the region.
