IDF escort became cover for Sukkot’s unauthorized demolition of Palestinian monument in West Bank

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had temporarily redirected their troops to protect MK Zvi Sukkot during what he described as a memorial tour in several West Bank villages. The military, however, accused Sukkot of acting deceitfully and in violation of approved procedures by beginning the demolition of a memorial in the village of Madama without proper authorization.

According to the IDF, the soldiers who witnessed the demolition were instructed to intervene and remove Sukkot and his group from the village. The military emphasized that they regularly demolish monuments of incitement with the necessary approvals and coordination with the Civil Administration.

Interestingly, the footage shared did not show the soldiers intervening in the demolition. A IDF spokesperson explained that the soldiers had not been assigned a photographer, as standard operational duties typically do not require one, which is why no footage of the intervention was available.

Sukkot confirmed that he had demolished a monument in Kafr Madama near Nablus, which appeared to honor members of the al-Aqsa Brigade and Palestinians killed during the intifada. He claimed that he had repeatedly appealed to the IDF to remove the "terror monuments" throughout the region, stating that destroying the monument in Madama was merely a small taste of what was to come.