Israel announces harsh crackdown after deadly West Bank shooting, will establish new settlements

After a deadly shooting incident this morning, and two stabbing attacks yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announce a series of new measures to crack down on Palestinians in the West Bank, including the establishment of new settlements.

Israel will demolish the home of the Palestinian who killed civil defense squad member Benayahu Mellet, 32, and wounded at least four other Israelis this morning near the village of Tell.

Mellet was shot after the Palestinian grabbed the weapon of a civilian security official from a nearby settlement during a confrontation.

After a security consultation, the two say that the IDF will embark on new operations in villages seen as terror hotbeds to collect weapons. Work permits from those villages will also be revoked.

The IDF is also reinforcing its units throughout the West Bank and setting up new checkpoints.

Israel will speed up the legalization of settler outposts in the West Bank, and will establish new ones, Netanyahu and Katz say.

In a likely warning to settlers who might carry out revenge attacks on Palestinians, the leaders emphasize “that security forces must be allowed to operate freely and with full force against terrorism, and that any action liable to harm their operations or divert them from their central mission — the protection of Israel’s citizens and the defeat of terrorism — should be avoided.”