Israel warned that West Bank is on verge of explosion that could kill hundreds in occupation state

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the heads of the Israeli security services have warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the deteriorating situation in the West Bank, expressing their fears of an “imminent explosion” that could lead to hundreds of Israelis being killed, Channel 13 has reported. The warning was made during the latest session of the political and security cabinet by Gallant; the head of the Shin Bet security service, Ronen Bar; and the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi.

According to the report, security officials confirmed that the number of weapons in the West Bank “is the largest in the history of the area,” as a result of “security breaches on the eastern border and theft of weapons” from Israeli army bases.

The security heads warned that the deterioration of the situation could lead to large-scale bombing operations that extend into Israel. They proposed several steps to calm the situation, including allowing Palestinian workers to work inside Israel.

It was also recommended to transfer withheld funds to the Palestinian Authority, which far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is blocking. Moreover, they said that the “status quo” at Al-Aqsa Mosque should be maintained, against the backdrop of Itamar Ben-Gvir’s provocations. Although Netanyahu announced “the need to coordinate with him before any activity at Al-Aqsa Mosque,” there doesn’t appear to have been any agreement on the other security recommendations.

Reports indicate that the Israeli army is facing “challenges in reinforcing its forces in the West Bank” due to the needs of other fronts — Gaza and the border with Lebanon — which increases fears of a “large-scale explosion” in the area that would affect the course of military operations in the context of the war on Gaza.

In this context, National Security Minister Ben-Gvir sent a letter to Netanyahu, demanding that “the defeat of Hamas and terrorist organisations in the West Bank” be added to the goals of the current war.

READ: Israel killing one Palestinian child every two days in illegally occupied West Bank