Potential New Battle Looms on the West Bank Amidst Ongoing Conflicts

An incident that took place in broad daylight on a barren, stony hillside in the West Bank last month barely made headlines in Israeli newspapers and has, so far, resulted in no judicial action. However, it could potentially signify the emergence of another battle in the series of conflicts instigated by the October 7, 2023, ambushes.

Jewish residents from Carmel, a settlement deemed unlawful under Israeli legislation, made their way to the neighboring Bedouin-Palestinian commune of Umm al-Khair, with a hefty earthmoving vehicle, as reported by thelocal inhabitants. They reportedly started inflicting damage on an olive orchard.

During a recent visit to the village, inhabitants relayed to me this distressing account. Following this encounter, I couldn’t escape the feeling that Israel might be on the verge of initiating another conflict with the Palestinians in the West Bank, a prospect far more likely than concluding the ongoing bloody conflict in Gaza.

Remarkably, almost two years into a harsh war they didn’t instigate, Israeli authorities seem yet to find, or perhaps are not sincerely pursuing, a feasible resolution. They have defined preconditions for ending the war, the accomplishment of which seems to exceed their capabilities on the battlefront, given the acceptable costs to both their armed forces and society, as well as innocent Palestinians.

This choice has alarmed the international community to such an extent that half a dozen nations, backed into a corner with a sparse range of alternatives to express their indignation, have stated their plans to acknowledge a Palestinian state.

Just a short while ago, I had a conversation with Shachar Shnorman, a community member who had made his way back to Kfar Aza, a place where no fewer than 62 residents were fatally attacked on October 7. He narrated the chilling memories of hearing his neighbors being shot and the scent of tobacco smoke from the Hamas militants as they sat on his veranda while he hid just meters away behind a curtained window.

Shnorman, like many, desires nothing more than an end to this war. Yet Israel’s officials, despite a military evaluation indicating that Hamas’s effectiveness as an organized entity has been reduced by over 90%, seem to still be insistent on pursuing an absolute triumph.

This stance has led many to question the motives behind Israel’s reluctance to put a halt to the ongoing conflict. The reasons for their actions remain unclear, raising speculations and doubts among eager onlookers both nationally and internationally.