For the sixth consecutive day, reinforced IDF forces appear unable to repel groups of Jewish settlers who continue to besiege inhabited homes in the Palestinian village of Qon the southern outskirts of Nablus. These settlers, by re-erecting shacks and continuing to cut off the residents’ access to water and electricity, are trying to force them to abandon their homes.
“They’re afraid they won’t get promoted”
Military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to reporters from Israeli state television, denied the validity and questioned the legality of yesterday’s order from Defense Minister, Israel Katz, to the IDF to transfer its authority to the Israeli police in all cases involving the enforcement of public order when Israeli citizens residing in the West Bank are involved. In fact, when asked by state media reporters why the reinforced military forces have not yet managed to bring the situation in the village of Kushra under control, they reportedly replied that officers on the ground are reluctant to implement stronger repressive measures because they fear that if they do so, they will not be promoted, arguing that, in their view, the political leadership of the Ministry of Defense supports the positions of the Jewish settlers.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
An ideological rift between the military and the government?
Based on reports aired on last night’s (August 14) main news broadcast on state television, the ideological differences between figures in the military and Netanyahu’s right-wing government are once again highlighted, reminiscent of the period leading up to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 —a climate that appears to be resurfacing now, on the eve of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27, 2026.
It is striking that there has been no comment or statement from the IDF chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, regarding the turbulent situation in the Palestinian village of Kushra, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also maintaining a similar radio silence on the matter.
The uproar in the U.S. continues
In contrast, in the United States, media coverage of the issue continues, focusing primarily on a Palestinian family living in that village, some of whose members are U.S. citizens. It is noteworthy that, as a result of related commentary in the American media, Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, Yehiel Leiter, made public statements in which he spoke out in favor of the need to protect the human rights of Palestinian residents of the West Bank and criticized the actions of Jewish settlers.
And on the horizon, elections
These interesting developments and statements, reported in the context of the recent events involving Jewish settlers, the army, and Palestinian residents in the northern part of the West Bank over the past six days are shaping the atmosphere of the pre-election period ahead of the Israeli parliamentary elections this coming October, with the leadership of Israel’s political parties, inevitably, being called upon to take specific stances, while also considering the potential impact these positions may have on the election results.
Watch Gabriel Haritou’s segment on tonight’s main news broadcast on ALPHA Cyprus with Nikos Symeou:
