Shin Bet chief wants ‘reality-changing move’ in occupied West Bank
The head of Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to greenlight a major military offensive in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli media outlets report that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar called for the army operation at a meeting with Netanyahu, ministers and security officials after a shooting incident on Monday. Three Israelis were killed and eight others wounded near the illegal West Bank settlement of Kedumim.
“Israel should learn from October 7 and not allow the intensification of these terrorist elements,” Bar was quoted as saying in a Channel 12 news report.
“Therefore, a broad, reality-changing move must be initiated that will collapse and eliminate the phenomenon of the armed Palestinian battalions … in order to ensure our freedom of operation there.”
Israel’s defence minister asks army for plan to completely ‘defeat’ Hamas: Report
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has told the army to present a plan “for the complete defeat of Hamas in Gaza”, in case a captives deal is not agreed upon by the time US President-elect Donald Trump comes into power, The Times of Israel newspaper reports.
“We must not be drawn into a war of attrition that will cost us heavily and not lead to victory and the complete strategic defeat of Hamas and the end of the war in Gaza,” Katz said in a statement issued by his office.
In the statement, Katz “emphasised that the issue of releasing the hostages has been the top priority of the defence establishment since he took office and that everything must be done to bring them home”.
He added that a political solution to the war was “not relevant” to the plan because “no Arab or other party will take responsibility for managing civilian life in Gaza as long as Hamas is not completely crushed.”
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