Israel moved swiftly on Tuesday to impose sweeping restrictions on Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank after a deadly shooting in Jerusalem left six Israelis dead and dozens more wounded.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced what he described as “civil sanctions” against the families of two Palestinians suspected of carrying out Monday’s attack. The measures include the demolition of buildings deemed to have been built without permits in the villages of Al-Qubeiba and Qatanna, along with the revocation of 750 Palestinian work and entry permits.
Security forces also raided the suspects’ home villages, documenting structures and questioning residents — steps that often precede demolition orders. “We will not allow terrorists and those who support them to continue living comfortably while harming Israeli citizens,” Katz wrote on the social platform X.
The crackdown quickly rippled across the area. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Israeli army blocked the main road between Biddu and Al-Jib for a second day, disrupting the daily movement of some 70,000 residents. Witnesses reported raids in nearby towns, with soldiers firing live ammunition and tear gas while making arrests.
The attack, which Israeli authorities blamed on two men from Al-Qubeiba and Qatanna, underscored the fragile security environment in the West Bank, where tensions have intensified since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza nearly a year ago. That assault has killed more than 64,600 people, according to Palestinian health officials, and reduced much of the enclave to rubble.
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Human rights groups sharply criticized Israel’s response to the Jerusalem shooting, calling the measures a form of collective punishment prohibited under international law. Palestinian leaders said the sanctions would deepen grievances and fuel unrest rather than improve security.
International scrutiny of Israel’s conduct has been growing. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza campaign. Separately, the International Court of Justice is weighing a genocide case brought against Israel by South Africa.
Despite these pressures, the Israeli government has shown no sign of easing its approach in the West Bank. Military officials said operations in the area would continue “as long as necessary.”
For Palestinians in Al-Qubeiba and Qatanna, however, the immediate reality is far more personal: blocked roads, demolished homes, and the sudden loss of livelihoods.
