Israel threatens ‘full-scale war’ against Palestinian Authority

Jerusalem, September 7 - Israel has warned of a "full-scale war" against the Palestinian Authority if it prepares an attack akin to the October 7 Hamas assault from Gaza. This threat emerged following a stabbing incident in the northern West Bank, where Israeli forces killed the Palestinian assailant. The surge in violence in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has been fueled by Hamas's October 2023 attack and the recent rise in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians with few legal repercussions.

Defence Minister Israel Katz issued an ultimatum to the Palestinian Authority, instructing the IDF to prepare for a full-scale war if they initiate a terror attack against IDF forces and Jewish settlements. The military campaign would focus on dismantling the "senior leadership and mechanisms" of the Palestinian Authority, targeting terror infrastructure, and carrying out targeted killings and evacuations of terror-supporting residents.

The operation would resemble the Israeli "security zones" in Gaza and southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue eliminating terrorists and destroying their infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, stating that no terrorist can hide. Hamas called for an escalation of resistance and engagement with enemy soldiers and settler gangs in response to the attack.

The October 2023 Hamas attack resulted in 1,221 deaths and 251 hostages, with at least 44 dying in Gaza. Israel's response in Gaza has led to at least 73,651 deaths, according to the Palestinian health ministry.