IDF Brigade Operated Independently in West Bank Raid, Top Commander Unaware

A military operation in the Palestinian village of Jalud, in the West Bank, was conducted by the Samaria Brigade without the knowledge of the Central Command chief, Major General Avi Bluth, and was not coordinated with the police or the Shin Bet security agency. A senior security official told i24NEWS that the brigade "acted on its own initiative," and that the command, district, and division were unaware of the operation.

The IDF is investigating not only the incident itself but also the information flow, examining who was updated, who should have been informed, and whether the correct parties received the information. The IDF acknowledged that the response could have been better, stating that if they had anticipated that the return of a family to their home would lead to nearly 200 individuals, many intoxicated, arriving to assault and burn property, the preparedness would have been different. The IDF also noted that even the most skilled battalion commander would not have foreseen such a development.

Last night, over 100 Israelis rioted in Jalud, throwing stones at security forces and setting fire to Palestinian structures, vehicles, and property. Three Border Police officers sustained minor injuries, and damage was caused to a security forces vehicle. Graffiti reading "Greetings to Bluth" was also found, and vehicles were set ablaze in two other Palestinian villages.

The police and Shin Bet claim that the IDF did not coordinate the family's return to Jalud with them. They stated that prior coordination would have allowed for better preparation on the ground and prevented some rioters from reaching the village. The IDF countered that the police do not typically handle ongoing nationalist crime incidents and are currently focused only on proactive arrests.

One suspect in the Jalud arson is the son of a rabbi from the Benjamin region, who is part of a rabbis' committee that works with the police and Shin Bet to prevent Jewish violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Three suspects have been arrested so far, with one already released. Another suspect, an 18-year-old, was apprehended at a gas station in Kochav Yaakov about two and a half hours after the incident. Police reported finding a balaclava and a shirt smelling strongly of gas in his car, along with another balaclava.