Israel Launches Wide-Scale West Bank Operation After Deadly Shooting Near Nablus

Israeli forces launched what the military described as an "extensive" operation across the occupied West Bank on Saturday, arresting nearly 50 Palestinians in the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus. The crackdown followed a shooting on Friday that left four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead near the illegal Havat Gilad settlement, with three others wounded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the "wide-scale military operation" in Palestinian villages throughout the occupied territory. In Tal alone, soldiers raided approximately 70 homes. Footage circulated by Quds News Network showed two blindfolded men being led away by Israeli troops.

The operation extended well beyond Tal. Arrests were also carried out in the northern city of Jenin and surrounding towns and villages, where Israeli forces raided multiple homes and deployed large numbers of soldiers. Military convoys entered Tubas in the northeast, with troops raiding homes across several neighborhoods for roughly three hours before moving on to the Far'a refugee camp, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Additional raids targeted the village of Far'ata east of Qalqilya, where at least eight Palestinians were injured, as reported by Al Mayadeen English. The Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho and the village of Kobar in the Ramallah and el-Bireh Governorate were also among the locations raided.

Settler Violence Escalates Across Nablus Governorate

According to sources and witnesses, Israeli settlers attacked several Palestinian communities in the Nablus governorate, setting fire to Palestinian homes and other property. The violence surrounding Friday's incident in Tal has been described by both activists and human rights organizations as part of a broader pattern rather than isolated events.

Ubai Al Aboudi, a rights activist based in Ramallah, told Al Jazeera that settler attacks on Palestinian villages are systemic and carried out with complete impunity. He emphasized that these are "not isolated incidents" but something "happening all across the West Bank."

Al Aboudi pointed to a prior attack on Tal on July 18, when individuals described by Israeli officials as "hikers" entered the village and set fire to a house with a family still inside. He said it was a miracle that residents managed to rescue the family before they were burned alive.

The Friday shooting in Tal was the deadliest there in months. Tal is under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and Israelis are not permitted to enter. Footage from the scene shows rifle-wielding settlers confronting a crowd of Palestinians. Another video depicts a Palestinian man seizing a gun from a settler before fatally shooting him in what appears to be self-defense. Israeli soldiers then shot and killed that Palestinian, and three other Palestinians were also killed.

Funerals for the four Palestinians killed on Friday were held overnight, as residents said Israeli authorities barred them from conducting the ceremonies during daylight hours. Only a limited number of Palestinians were permitted to attend.

UN Rapporteur Demands Arms Embargo Against Israel

UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese described the Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians across the West Bank as "pogroms" and called for an immediate arms embargo and a halt to trade with Israel.

"Pogroms against defenseless civilians all over the West Bank, while Gaza is under fire," Albanese posted on X. She accused Israeli civilians and the army of "joining forces" in the attacks, arguing that responsibility extended beyond Netanyahu or "a few rotten apples."

"Arms embargo now — stop trade now," Albanese wrote, adding that such measures are required under international law.

Israeli human rights groups have also urged the international community to take immediate action to stop state-backed settler violence, which they say has surged since Israel launched its war on Gaza in 2023.

Human Rights Watch called on the Israeli government to prevent settlers from carrying out revenge attacks. Sarah Sanbar, acting Israel and Palestine researcher at the organization, said the Israeli government failed to prevent the settler attacks on Tal and must now stop settler reprisals and escalating military action.

"Years of lawlessness and impunity for attacks have turned the West Bank into a powder keg waiting to explode, and decisive action is urgently needed," Sanbar said.

Mounting Casualties in the West Bank

The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that at least 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis in attacks across the West Bank since the beginning of the year. Of those, 21 were killed by settlers. Critics attribute the emboldened settler behavior to a lack of international pressure on Israel to end its siege of Gaza, as well as the rhetoric of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

The escalation in the West Bank comes amid Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which began in 2023. Rights groups and international observers have repeatedly warned that the combination of military raids, settler violence, and impunity has created an increasingly volatile situation across the occupied territory.

As raids continue and tensions mount, the situation in the West Bank remains precarious. With international voices growing louder and human rights organizations sounding alarms, the coming days may prove critical for the region. If you found this report informative, please share it with your network to help spread awareness of these unfolding events.

Source: Al Jazeera English