Israeli Occupation Escalates in the West Bank and Jerusalem

Strict Restrictions on Access to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Worshipers

Widespread Raids and Arrests Targeting 95 Palestinians in the West Bank

The West Bank and occupied Jerusalem witnessed a broad security escalation, coinciding with the eve of the Jewish 'Yom Kippur', resulting in the martyrdom of a Palestinian by Israeli occupation forces east of Jenin, and the killing of an Israeli settler and the injury of others in a shooting operation near the settlement of 'Halmish' northwest of Ramallah, while the occupation forces launched wide-ranging raids, incursions, and arrests in a number of West Bank cities and towns.

According to Israeli data, 27 battalions of the occupation army are currently operating in the West Bank, the highest number since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

In occupied Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stormed the Western Wall area in the Old City to participate in the last 'Selichot' ceremonies, amid heavy security deployment, and with the participation of about 150,000 settlers.

Netanyahu published scenes of the tunnels and excavations carried out by the occupation at the Western Wall beneath the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that the site is near what he described as the 'Holy of Holies', adding: 'No one can be in this place except us'.

The occupation police imposed strict restrictions on the access of Muslim worshipers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and prevented a number of them from entering, while subjecting the worshipers to identity checks at the outer gates.

On the ground, a Palestinian was martyred and another was injured, before being arrested by the occupation forces, yesterday afternoon, after firing at a vehicle they were riding in east of Jenin city in northern West Bank, under the pretext of attempting to carry out a ramming operation against Israeli soldiers.

Local sources said that the occupation forces fired live bullets at a vehicle near Hadad tourist village and an Israeli military site east of Jenin, resulting in the martyrdom of one of those inside and the injury of another.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that the occupation forces prevented its teams from reaching the site to provide first aid, while the identity of the martyr was not known at the time.

For its part, the Israeli army announced that its forces 'killed a Palestinian who tried to carry out a ramming operation against soldiers working in the area', claiming that there were no casualties among its forces, while the Israeli Army Radio reported that another Palestinian was injured and arrested following the incident.

In a related development, an Israeli settler was killed in a shooting operation near the settlement of 'Halmish' (Neve Tzuf), northwest of Ramallah.

According to Israeli reports, the perpetrator of the operation arrived in a red vehicle, a Mitsubishi Outlander with a Palestinian license plate, to the vicinity of 'Ein Raya' spring, which is controlled by settlers, before getting out and firing at the settlers, then fleeing on foot.

Hebrew media reported that the settlers had gathered at the spring to perform religious rituals on the eve of 'Yom Kippur'.

Following a wide-scale manhunt involving a helicopter, army and police forces, and the 'Shabak', the Israeli army announced the arrest of the perpetrator inside the 'H Clinic' specialized hospital on Irsal Street in Ramallah city.

A joint statement by the Israeli police and the General Security Service said that large army forces were mobilized following the operation, and were able to locate the perpetrator, who turned out to have gone to the hospital after being injured during the pursuit.

Israeli sources added that fighters from the 'Duvdevan' unit carried out an operation inside the hospital and arrested the perpetrator with the assistance of intelligence agencies.

Following the operation, the Israeli army deployed large reinforcements to the area, while the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Iyal Zamir, assessed the situation in a joint command room of the army, 'Shabak', and the police, and ordered the summoning of an additional battalion to participate in search operations.

Netanyahu announced that the security forces are continuing to pursue 'the perpetrators of the operation and those who helped them', adding: 'None of the perpetrators are safe, as well as those who helped them... in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank'.

He said that he had ordered the army and 'Shabak' to operate in the West Bank with reinforced forces, impose closures, carry out offensive operations and arrests, and order the 'immediate demolition of the perpetrator's house'.

For his part, Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on the eve of 'Yom Kippur': 'It is important to remember that the right of settlers to life takes precedence over the right of the Palestinian Authority residents to move on the roads'.

Several areas in the West Bank witnessed raids and incursions by the occupation forces, interspersed with widespread confrontations and arrests, in conjunction with settler attacks targeting Palestinians and their properties.

In Ramallah, the occupation forces stormed Mughayer town northeast of the city for the second consecutive day, launching a campaign of raids and arrests that affected at least 96 Palestinians, according to Palestinian reports.

They also turned a Palestinian family house into a military barracks, and confiscated about 15 vehicles, amid reports of theft of money and gold jewelry from some of the houses raided by the occupation forces.

In the Wadi Al-Shaer area between Luban Al-Sharqiya village and Salfit city, two citizens were injured as a result of an attack carried out by settlers, one with a stab wound in the thigh and the other in the head, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

In Jericho, settlers attacked Palestinian vehicles with stones near the settlement of 'Mitspe Yeriho' southwest of the city, while settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, stormed Jericho city.

In Hebron, settlers stormed the old town under the protection of the occupation forces, while others stormed Urta village south of Nablus city and performed Talmudic rituals at the 'Al-Ezair' shrine.

In Jenin, the occupation forces stormed Qabatiya and Meithalun towns south of the city, as well as 'Aqaba town north of Tubas, and arrested a citizen after raiding his house.

In Khirbet Farisin near Ya'bad village west of Jenin, settlers cut down 30 jujube trees belonging to a Palestinian farmer, in a new attack on his sources of livelihood.

In occupied Jerusalem, hundreds of settlers stormed the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Maghreb Gate, under heavy protection by the occupation police and special forces, coinciding with the Jewish 'Yom Kippur'.

The Islamic Endowments Department in occupied Jerusalem reported that 876 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the morning period, performing Talmudic rituals and prayers in its halls, including the so-called 'Epic Prostration', while the Department confirmed that the settlers organized provocative tours in the courtyards of the Mosque.

Settlers had previously performed prayers and Talmudic rituals in front of the Bab Al-Rahma Gate from the outside, in the Bab Al-Rahma cemetery adjacent to the wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in response to calls to gather at the site and perform the so-called 'Selichot'.

These developments come amid escalating settler attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem, coinciding with the tightening of security measures during the Jewish holiday season, which began with the Hebrew New Year on September 12, and continues with 'Yom Kippur' and 'Sukkot' until early October.