Israeli political and military developments in Palestinian-v

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has taken several high-profile actions and made significant political pledges regarding Israeli control over Palestinian territories. During a visit to the Temple Mount, Ben Gvir declared that Israel is the ‘masters of the house’ at the site.

In the lead-up to the October 27 Knesset elections, Ben Gvir stated that if appointed Minister of Defense, he would work toward the displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza. He expressed intentions to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and claimed that the entirety of the territory, including areas established under the Oslo Accords, belongs to Israel. Ben Gvir also advocated for reducing restrictions on the use of force by Israeli soldiers in occupied territories.

Concurrently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the elimination of two commanders: Muhammad Jamal Mahmoud Abu Al-Shaar, a Hamas cell commander linked to the abduction of individuals from Kibbutz Be’eri, and Musab Abd al-Jalil Saqib Balbisi, a commander in the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.