Israel to introduce electronic tagging in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army said on Monday it was introducing a new technological system to enforce movement restrictions in the occupied West Bank for people.

The army said the decision allows security forces "to install a technological monitoring device on individuals subject to an administrative order restricting their movement within the (West Bank)," in a statement.

The system would allow for monitoring of "violations of these restriction orders accordingly," it added.

The measure was adopted after a request by the head of the domestic Shin Bet security agency, David Zini, who said it was in response to rising violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, Israel's Channel 12 reported.

Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, settler violence against Palestinians has skyrocketed. The attacks often involve breaking into homes, setting vehicles alight, and physically assaulting civilians, including women, the elderly, and children. 

The monitoring devices used will be electronic bracelets, according to the Israeli broadcaster.

In response to an AFP query, the army said the measure will be applied to Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Israel has occupied the Palestinian territory since 1967, and now more than 500,000 Israelis live there, along with about three million Palestinian residents.

The army stated that removing any monitoring device "constitutes an offense, for which criminal proceedings may be initiated."

Honenu, an Israeli legal aid organisation that assists detainees from right-wing settler communities, slammed the decision and said it would appeal.

In a post on X, it quoted one of its lawyers saying it was an "undemocratic move that reminds of the conduct of oppressive regimes".

Administrative restrictive orders bar suspects residing in the West Bank from going to certain areas or communicating with certain people.

A more draconian measure, known as administrative detention, is often used aginst Palestinians, and allows Israeli security forces to detain people in the West Bank for up to six months without charges.

Upon taking office in November 2024, Defence Minister Israel Katz abolished the use of that measure against Israelis, but it is still enforced against Palestinians.

Israeli troops and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the territory since October 2023, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Almost none of the perpetrators of dozens of attacks carried out by Israeli settlers have been held to account by the Israeli authorities. Palestinians say that often the attacks take place under the protection of Israeli police, and investigations are rarely carried out.