IDF blocks 12 West Bank zones ahead of Tuesday's Knesset vote

The Israeli Defense Forces initiated a series of security operations in the West Bank on Monday night to manage traffic and reduce friction between Israelis and Palestinians ahead of the 26th Knesset elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Kobi Heller, commander of the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division, supervised these preparations over the preceding 24 hours. The primary strategy involves implementing breathing closures and temporary roadblocks around specific cities and villages identified as potential flashpoints for violence.

These controlled movement protocols allow for limited transit through designated zones while restricting general access. The IDF anticipates high visitor numbers at hiking sites during the public holiday, prompting the deployment of additional troops to secure areas where visits were pre-coordinated.

Simultaneously, security forces reinforced positions along the security barrier to mitigate the risk of terrorist infiltration into Israel. In the Qalqilya, Jenin, and Nablus districts, Judea and Samaria Division troops launched arrest operations and conducted field interrogations of individuals accused of incitement.

A security official told Walla on Tuesday morning that IDF engineering units are preparing to demolish illegal structures, terrorists' homes, and monuments. These actions aim to combat incitement and prevent copycat attacks during the election period.

Parallel operations are being led by the Paratroopers Brigade headquarters under Col. Roi Zweig to address nationalist crime in the Shiloh Valley within the Binyamin Regional Brigade's area. Despite these efforts, settler violence occurred in the Binyamin region overnight, including the torching of Palestinian vehicles.

Heller emphasized the necessity of strengthened coordination among the Israel Police, the Israel Border Police, and the Shin Bet to ensure a rapid operational response to any incidents on Election Day.