Shin Bet Deploys Elite Unit Against Jewish Terrorism in West Bank

In a significant shift, Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, has deployed its elite operational unit to combat Jewish terrorism in the West Bank. This unit, typically used against hardened Palestinian militant cells in Gaza and the West Bank, will now target extremist Jewish elements.

The decision follows a violent incident in the Palestinian village of Jalud, where over 100 Israeli rioters reportedly attacked Palestinian property and security forces. According to an initial IDF investigation, the rioters arrived after a Palestinian family returned to their home, escorted by Israeli forces. They then set fire to a nearby house before entering the family's home, initiating severe violence.

The rioters blocked roads with large stones, burned tires, and hurled rocks at security forces, setting fire to Palestinian structures and vehicles. Three Border Police officers were injured, and a security forces vehicle was damaged. Forces used crowd dispersal methods and called for reinforcements.

The IDF stated that soldiers physically shielded the family from harm, absorbing aggressive violence from the rioters. The military emphasized that this level of violence against security personnel during Sukkot, while forces were securing tens of thousands of settlers, was a "bright red line" and unacceptable, stressing that such phenomena must be eradicated.

Security officials described the Jalud incident as a spontaneous escalation, noting limitations on preemptive intelligence the Shin Bet could have provided. They confirmed the recent decision to activate the operational unit against Jewish terrorism, a move previously reserved for confronting the most dangerous Palestinian terrorist organizations.