Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday warned that Israel would initiate a "full-scale war" against the Palestinian Authority if it prepared an attack on Israeli forces or settlements similar to the October 7, 2023 assault launched by Hamas from Gaza.
"If… the Palestinian Authority’s security mechanisms and related bodies initiate, or we know with certainty that they are about to initiate, a terror attack in the style of October 7 against IDF forces and Jewish settlements — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to prepare for the opening of a full-scale war," Katz said in a statement from his office, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Katz Outlines Targets And Scope Of Military Campaign
Katz stated that any military campaign would directly target the "senior leadership and mechanisms" of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, along with "all terror infrastructure" across the West Bank.
Outlining the scope of operations, he added that the campaign would include the "targeted killings of senior figures" and the "evacuation of residents from the cities and villages from which terror activity is carried out," followed by a permanent Israeli military presence in those areas.
Katz said the operation would emulate the "security zones" in which the Israeli military currently operates in Gaza and southern Lebanon.
Tensions And Violence Surge In West Bank
The Defence Minister's remarks came after a stabbing incident in the northern occupied West Bank, with the Israeli military stating it had shot and killed the Palestinian assailant.
Violence across the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967, has intensified after Hamas's October 2023 attack sparked the war in Gaza. In recent months, the territory has seen an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, often with little or no legal consequence.
(With Inputs From Agencies)
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