Israeli security officials warn military drive in West Bank may create security situation in country

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Senior Israeli security officials have warned that an intensification of the military offensive in the occupied West Bank could result in a serious security situation within Israel, expressing fear of hundreds of casualties, local media reported on Friday.

During a government meeting this week, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and top security officials presented the region's latest situation, which they described as a critical breaking point, daily Maariv reported.

The daily claimed that Gallant and security officials warned that if no immediate changes are made, a serious security escalation could result in hundreds of Israeli casualties.

On Thursday evening, the Israeli army withdrew from Tulkarem and Tubas in the northern West Bank, ending a days-long two military offensives that killed 14 Palestinians.

However, Israeli media have linked rising tensions to a variety of factors, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, increased activities of Israeli illegal settlers, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues.

Additionally, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have been accused of condoning illegal Israeli settlers’ violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The situation has worsened since the Israeli government prohibited tens of thousands of Palestinian workers from returning to their jobs in Israel following the outbreak of war on Oct. 7 of last year.

The security report emphasizes the urgent need for policy shifts to prevent further violence and instability in the region.

Tension has been running high across the West Bank amid Israel’s devastating military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,000 victims, mostly women and children, since last Oct. 7.

At least 703 people, including 159, have since been killed and more than 5,700 injured by Israeli fire in the West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.

The escalation followed a landmark opinion by the International Court of Justice on July 19 that declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara