Israel threatens ‘full-scale war’ over alleged Palestinian Authority attack plans
Defence Minister Israel Katz says Israel would target Palestinian Authority leaders and security infrastructure if an October 7-style attack were believed to be imminent.
Israel has threatened a “full-scale war” against the Palestinian Authority if its security bodies were believed to be preparing an attack on Israeli forces or settlements resembling Hamas’s 7 October 2023 assault, according to France 24.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said the proposed campaign would target the Palestinian Authority’s senior leadership, security mechanisms and alleged militant infrastructure. He also referred to targeted killings, the evacuation of residents from affected areas and a permanent Israeli military presence.
The warning followed a stabbing in the northern occupied West Bank that wounded an Israeli settler. The Israeli military said it shot and killed the alleged Palestinian attacker. There was no indication the attack was authorised or known about by the Palestinian Authority.
The Palestinian Authority does not officially participate in militant activity, and its security forces have worked against local militancy in the West Bank. Palestinian National Council president Rawhi Fattouh condemned Katz’s statement as an attempt to fuel conflict and chaos during Israel’s election season.
The threat comes amid heightened violence in the occupied West Bank since Hamas’s October 2023 attack and the ensuing Gaza war. Israel has also reported strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, where separate casualty and responsibility claims remain contested.
