The IDF has enacted a closure preventing virtually all Palestinians from entering Jewish areas of the West Bank for the remainder of hol hamoed Sukkot through October 4.
Such a closure often occurs during extended periods of Jewish holidays, which are a potential powder keg for Palestinian terror. But it was especially noteworthy only days after the IDF brought in its 98th Division (consisting of commandos and paratroopers) to assist with West Bank security following three successive terror incidents last week.
The US Embassy in Jerusalem issued a statement warning that “there is no regular entry into Israel” from the West Bank during the coming week “except for strictly medical and humanitarian reasons.”
It added, “Jerusalem ID holders can still commute and travel freely. However, Arbel permit holders cannot cross checkpoints even by the shuttle. Exceptions can be considered only for medical and humanitarian reasons.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement on Sunday taking credit for the closure, though the IDF recommended it and it is standard practice around this time of year.
IDF is prepared for potential terror threats
Last week, the IDF reinforced its deployment across the West Bank amid concerns over a new potential terror wave during the intermediate Sukkot holiday days when hundreds of thousands of Israelis are expected to visit nature sites, prayer sites, and public events throughout the area.
A senior IDF official said that though there was no specific intelligence about such a terror wave, given the number of recent terror incidents, experience has taught the military to be extra prepared for copycat attackers inspired by previous recent terror attacks.
IDF Central Command and Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District are both deployed at their highest levels of readiness and volume to account for the much greater number of Israelis who may need protection.
In addition to ordering the 98th Division headquarters staff into the West Bank, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the Israel Air Force to shorten response times and prepare even more than during standard periods to respond to rapidly developing incidents.
Zamir also decided to place responsibility for the Judea and Etzion Regional Brigade sectors, with an emphasis on the fault line between Israeli and Palestinians areas near Jerusalem, under the authority of the 98th Division.
A senior IDF official said the decision was intended to reduce the burden on the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters’ staff amid concerns over a potential new wave of terrorism.
More than double the normal number of battalions stationed in the West Bank
The last time so many IDF battalions were deployed to the West Bank was nearly 25 years ago, when the number of battalions exceeded 40. About 24 battalions are currently operating in the area, up from a peacetime average of around 11.
While the number of battalions has jumped and injecting the 98th Division is an aggressive move, Zamir so far has only sent the the division’s command staff, not all of their troops.
It is presumed that if a new terror wave took off in the West Bank, having the command staff already in place would facilitate quickly deploying the 98th Division troops as well, to jump to the high 20s in terms of battalions.
Already last month, the IDF Central Command brought the Golani Brigade and Paratroopers Brigade through the West Bank to stabilize the security situation when Jewish terror against Palestinians spiked, and some IDF reservists did not push back on it sufficiently.
IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) sources have warned over an extended period that, in addition to Palestinian terror levels that occur even in peacetime, Palestinian terror could explode due to the Israeli police’s failure, and sometimes the IDF’s weak responses, to preventing Jewish extremist violence against Palestinians.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
