Hebron attack raises security concerns ahead of Israeli elections

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

Does the Hebron attack in the West Bank complicate Israel’s election calculations?

The answer depends on the nature of the military operation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to launch in response to an attack in Hebron carried out by two Palestinians, which left two Israeli soldiers dead, six settlers injured and both attackers killed.

The first, immediate phase of the military operation in Hebron is set to target hundreds of Palestinians who will be displaced from their homes, according to reports. 

In the next phase, their homes are expected to be demolished, following threats by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to raze hundreds of Palestinian homes and buildings in Hebron, the city from which the attackers originated. 

Before any Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the attack, Smotrich accused the Palestinian Authority of encouraging such operations and threatened to dismantle it.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the two Palestinians had planned to target Route 35, which carries heavy Israeli traffic, particularly on Friday mornings, the start of the weekend. 

However, a routine military measure, setting up a checkpoint for vehicles leaving Hebron, disrupted their plan.

The two Palestinians exited their vehicle while armed and ran toward the checkpoint, triggering a 20-minute exchange of fire.

According to military assessments, the two gunmen arrived by car at the temporary military checkpoint. When they realized they would not be able to pass through it and reach Route 35, which is used by Israeli civilians, they decided to target the checkpoint itself.

The Israeli military said the fortuitous placement of the temporary checkpoint had prevented what it described as a catastrophe. 

However, security officials acknowledged an intelligence failure, noting that no prior warning or information about the attack had been received despite the heightened state of alert imposed across the West Bank following reports alleging plans to carry out attacks ahead of the elections.