IDF may scale back Hebron presence by weekend after evacuating thousands of Palestinians

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) may exit or reduce its presence in Hebron by the weekend, after evacuating thousands of Palestinians from the area, according to The Jerusalem Post. The decision comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be more open to IDF recommendations following the recent election, despite initially rejecting the chief of staff's suggestion to leave the occupied region.

The occupation of Hebron began last weekend in response to a Hamas terrorist attack, with the IDF asserting that the terrorists were linked to a Hamas clan in the neighborhood. However, the military never provided concrete evidence of how the majority of the 2,000 evacuated Palestinians could be connected to any specific crime. By Sunday-Monday, the IDF recommended allowing the evacuated Palestinians to return, stating that there was no military reason to maintain the presence.

What sets this evacuation apart from previous ones is the lack of clear evidence linking the 2,000 evacuated Palestinians to terrorism. While Hebron has experienced terror incidents in the past, it has not been a primary problem area. Additionally, the IDF destroyed illegally built structures in Hebron to facilitate security operations, but it did not specify the reasons for demolishing entire buildings.

Adalah, a Palestinian human rights organization, has petitioned the High Court of Justice on behalf of Hebron's municipality and seven residents, seeking to halt the forced evacuations and demolitions. The petition argues that the scale and indefinite nature of the evacuations violate international humanitarian law, as outlined in Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.