IDF General Declares Taybeh Military Zone Amid Controversy Over Settler Attacks

Major General Avi Blot, commander of the IDF Central Command, declared the West Bank town of Taybeh near Ramallah a closed military zone due to the inability of the IDF and police to act against extremist right-wing activists. This declaration was intended to restrict the presence of Israeli activists in the area.

However, left-wing groups and Palestinian sources reported that two settlers exploited the military closure order to enter a Palestinian family's residential compound with their goat herd. They allegedly vandalized property, cut off the electricity system, and drained the water reservoir of one of the families living in Taybeh.

According to left-wing activists, the mother of the affected family contacted the police, but despite the reports, neither police nor IDF forces arrived at the scene to prevent the damage or apprehend suspects. This has led to severe criticism of the military's handling of the situation and raised concerns about the protection of Palestinian residents under the military order.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the West Bank, where military restrictions intended to curb extremist activity have been accused of enabling settler violence instead. The IDF has yet to respond publicly to the allegations regarding the failure to intervene during the attack.