Following the conclusion of Israeli operations in the Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon, Israeli attention is shifting toward the West Bank, amid heightened alert ahead of the Jewish holidays and military exercises simulating various security scenarios.
According to Mohammad Abu Allan, the question now is: What is the Israeli military planning for the West Bank in the next phase?
What Is the Israeli Military Media Reporting?
Abu Allan cites Amir Bohbot, military correspondent for the Israeli website Walla, as saying that after its operations against tunnels in the Ali al-Taher Heights in Lebanon, the Israeli military is preparing for what he described as the need for a “radical treatment” of the issue of terrorism in the West Bank.
A Contradiction in Israeli Assessments
The Israeli state of alert comes at a time when, according to Abu Allan, Israeli security and political assessments indicate that the level of Palestinian resistance operations is at its lowest point since 2011.
However, the Israeli military says it is monitoring indicators that could change this situation, including:
▪️ Increased friction on the ground.
▪️ The possibility of a shift in the level of operations.
▪️ The scenario of
“the barrels of the guns turning”,
referring to the possibility of the Palestinian security forces turning against Israel or entering into confrontation with it.
The Potential Israeli Assessment
According to assessments attributed to the Israeli security establishment, as cited by Abu Allan, the political leadership may push for:
▪️ The occupation or takeover of additional Palestinian refugee camps.
▪️ An expansion of military operations across the West Bank.
▪️ A transition to a broader military operation if the security situation is judged to be moving toward escalation.
Intelligence Assessment
The issue is not that the resistance in the West Bank is currently experiencing an exceptional escalation, according to these assessments. Rather, the Israeli security establishment appears to be preparing for a scenario in which the situation could change rapidly, with Palestinian refugee camps and the Palestinian security forces emerging as key potential flashpoints.