Candidate Attacked in West Bank Vows to Change Narrative

Pler Hassan-Nahum, the fifth candidate on the Am Ech Israel party list, was interviewed on Tuesday after she and her team were attacked with stones by Palestinians during a tour in the Benjamin region of the West Bank. Hassan-Nahum described the incident, which occurred while she was with the Regavim organization, noting that they were documenting what she called "palaces" built by Palestinians in the area. She stated that after entering a village, they were followed and questioned before attempting to leave, only to be ambushed by "children" who threw stones, which she described as deadly weapons.

Hassan-Nahum emphasized that the Regavim movement had coordinated the visit with security forces, who were present upon their departure along with medical personnel. She questioned why she was not permitted to travel freely to observe the area, especially given her knowledge of Arabs from the West Bank visiting the Temple Mount. She expressed frustration that international media only reports on one side of events and stated her desire to change this narrative through proper information dissemination.

Reflecting on recent clashes in the West Bank, including an attack on a convoy of diplomats by Jewish settlers, Hassan-Nahum lamented the negative publicity surrounding the region. Regarding her party's standing in opinion polls, which currently show them not passing the electoral threshold, she remained optimistic, believing the public seeks a "clean and pure" right-wing alternative. She affirmed that Am Ech Israel would support a bloc led by Netanyahu, encouraging other right-wing factions to join to achieve necessary changes.

The incident occurred during a period of heightened tension in the West Bank, shortly after the launch of an operation named "Olive Branch." This operation, involving Israeli police, Shin Bet, and IDF forces, led to the arrest of ten suspects and the confiscation of vehicles. The arrests were a response to a series of violent incidents over the weekend, including the attack on a Washington Post photographer and the suspected assault on foreign diplomats near the village of Taybeh in Benjamin.