Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir Discuss Death Penalty for "Halamish" Attack Perpetrator

Israeli forces arrested two Palestinians in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, on Monday, with the Israeli military claiming they were planning an imminent attack. The arrests occurred during a wider sweep across the West Bank on the Jewish Day of Atonement, which saw Israeli forces raid homes and detain several Palestinians. The military stated that the "Duvdevan" unit apprehended two individuals in Qabatiya who were allegedly planning an immediate operation. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club identified the detainees as Mohammed Talat Taza'za and Rami Shawkat Zakarna. In the village of Fahma, also south of Jenin, Israeli forces interrogated residents and arrested four individuals, including two sisters and two brothers. Another Palestinian, Amir Hazem Badarna, was arrested in his home in the town of Ya'bad.

In parallel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security meeting to discuss the situation in the West Bank following a shooting attack near the "Halamish" settlement, northwest of Ramallah, which resulted in the death of one settler. During the meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proposed implementing the death penalty for the perpetrator, asserting that this case met the legal criteria. Netanyahu requested a review of the matter with military officials, who indicated no objection to applying the law in this specific instance. The military prosecutor was not present at the initial meeting, and a further professional discussion is scheduled with the Ministerial Committee for Security.

Israeli forces also operated in the town of Biddu, northwest of Jerusalem, on the Day of Atonement. They measured the home of the "Halamish" attack perpetrator, identified by the Jerusalem Governorate as released prisoner Qadri Samara from Biddu, in preparation for demolition. The military claimed to have searched approximately 100 sites and interrogated 90 Palestinians in the area. The Jerusalem Governorate reported that at least 53 Palestinians were arrested in Biddu during a large-scale raid, during which homes were searched, property damaged, and residents assaulted. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club stated that field interrogations have become a primary tool for Israeli forces during raids, aiming to impose control and intimidation.

Meanwhile, the "Al-Bader" human rights organization reported that settlers are establishing and expanding a new outpost near the Mas'oudiya area, northwest of Nablus, on land belonging to the village of Burqa. The organization warned that this outpost threatens Palestinian agricultural lands and grazing areas, restricting access for their owners. The West Bank has seen an increase in Israeli military incursions, arrests, and field interrogations, alongside ongoing settler violence and the expansion of settlement outposts.