Israel orders West Bank crossings to close on election day following Hebron shooting

West Bank Crossings to Shut During Israel’s Election Day

Usagevpn.com – Israel will close all land crossings in the West Bank on Tuesday, when the country holds legislative elections, the Israeli military has announced. The restrictions form part of heightened security measures introduced after two Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian gunmen in Hebron earlier this week.

The Israel Defense Forces said Palestinian workers will be barred from entering and leaving Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley throughout election day. The order also applies to industrial zones and every land crossing in those areas.

“Ban on the entry and exit of Palestinian workers to and from all of Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, including industrial zones, as well as the closure of all land crossings throughout election day.”

Separate limits are due to apply from Sunday through Monday. During that period, Palestinian workers will generally be unable to enter the West Bank areas named in the military announcement for employment, although industrial zones and several approved locations will remain exempt.

Security Operation Intensifies in Hebron

The measures come amid a broader Israeli operation in the occupied West Bank, centred on Hebron following the shooting that killed the two soldiers. Israeli forces have surrounded parts of the city while carrying out searches for those involved and examining what the military described as militant infrastructure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had directed the military to seal off Hebron and introduce further security steps in the surrounding area. The operation has included building demolitions and the removal of residents from parts of the city.

The IDF described its action as a targeted operation intended to dismantle what it called “terrorist infrastructure” and prevent additional attacks. It said residents had been allowed to leave temporarily through specified screening points.

“To reduce the risk to civilians, civilians were permitted to temporarily leave the area through designated screening points. No civilians were forced to evacuate.”

The military confirmed that several structures had been demolished, saying they represented security risks. It also maintained that other demolished buildings had been built without legal permission and that their removal complied with international law.

“All other structures demolished in the area were also built illegally, and their demolition was carried out in accordance with international law in order to enforce law and order and remove potential security threats.”

Displacement Claims and Detentions

Palestinian News Agency Wafa said on Sunday that more than 200 families had been displaced from Hebron over the previous three days. The report said roughly 2,500 people had been removed from homes in the al-Jilda and Ain Deir Baha areas.

Israeli forces also detained 20 people across the wider Hebron Governorate on Sunday, Wafa said. The arrests and demolitions have added to tensions in a city that has long been one of the West Bank’s most sensitive flashpoints, with Israeli security operations, Palestinian neighbourhoods and Israeli settlements situated in close proximity.

B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights organisation, criticised what it called plans to forcibly displace Palestinian residents and destroy homes and other property on a wide scale. The group urged the international community to intervene immediately to halt Israel’s actions in Hebron.

The contrasting accounts underline the deeply contested nature of the operation. Israel says the measures are aimed at preventing further violence after the soldiers’ deaths, while Palestinian officials and rights groups say the restrictions, demolitions and displacement are inflicting severe harm on civilians.

Election Day Adds Another Layer of Tension

The closure of crossings on Tuesday is likely to affect Palestinians who depend on permits and crossing points to reach jobs, industrial areas and other destinations. The IDF announcement specifically includes the Jordan Valley and industrial zones, although exceptions are planned before election day for some approved work locations.

Israel has often increased security restrictions around major political events or periods of heightened concern, but the latest order arrives during an already intense military operation in Hebron. For residents and workers, the practical effect will be a temporary interruption to movement across crossings in the West Bank on the day Israelis vote.

Political tensions are also visible inside Israel ahead of the election. Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday in a protest against the government. Participants marched from Rabin Square in the city centre toward Hostages Square, the name adopted after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.

The demonstration was organised by the October Council, a group established by relatives of people killed in the attacks and of hostages taken by militants. The organisation said the gathering had strengthened supporters but stressed that its campaign would continue through election day.

“This evening has given us tremendous strength, but our struggle is not yet over. We must now channel the incredible energy from the square into action. This coming Tuesday, we’re all going out to vote.”

Tuesday’s vote will therefore take place against a backdrop of intensified restrictions in the West Bank, an ongoing operation in Hebron and renewed public pressure on Israel’s government in Tel Aviv. The military has not indicated how long the wider Hebron operation or its associated security measures will remain in effect.