Tunnel Discovery in Qalqilya Prompts Security Concerns in Israel

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, has called for an urgent discussion and a strategic plan to counter a potential scenario where Palestinian Authority security forces turn their weapons against Israel. This demand follows the discovery of a tunnel, at least 25 meters deep, in Qalqilya, a Palestinian city near Kfar Saba. The tunnel, in advanced stages of excavation, was found alongside the initial digging of a second tunnel.

During the operation, conducted by the Samaria Crime Fighting Unit and the Judea and Samaria Border Police, authorities also seized an M16 rifle, a sniper rifle, ammunition, magazines, mobile phones, fertilizer used for explosives, and a DVR device. Four suspects were apprehended in connection with the findings.

Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Sa'ar described the incident as "serious," emphasizing the "real and immediate" security threat to residents living along the seam line. He stated that this is not a theoretical warning but a security reality demanding decisive action.

Dagan urged Israeli officials to examine not only the activities of terrorist groups like Hamas in the West Bank but also the capabilities of the Palestinian Authority's security mechanisms. He stressed the need for Israel to prepare for the possibility of armed forces stationed near Israeli communities acting against the country, drawing parallels to the October 7th attacks. "The discovery of the tunnel in Qalqilya should set off all alarm bells in Israel," Dagan stated, highlighting the proximity of the tunnel to Israeli towns and the weapons found.

Dagan's call to action includes assessing the number of armed individuals, their training, weaponry, intelligence capabilities, and infrastructure, as well as their proximity to Israeli settlements and IDF bases. He concluded by emphasizing the lesson learned from October 7th: "We don't wait for the threat to mature." He urged Israel to be prepared, stating, "I don't want in a few years for them to tell us: We saw the tunnels in Qalqilya, we saw the buildup, we saw the training, but we didn't believe they would attack. The State of Israel must be ready!"