Israeli forces preparing for attacks on West Bank Palestinians during Ramadan

Israeli security forces are preparing to carry out wide scale detentions of Palestinians in the West Bank during the sacred Muslim month of Ramadan, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.

Ramadan is expected to begin on Tuesday and Israeli forces in the West Bank have reportedly been reinforced with commando units which have already begun carrying out arrests.

As part of the preparations, Israeli security and military forces have intensified efforts against those they call “prominent terrorist activists” and “inciters” who they claim could escalate the situation on the ground.

However the preparations are taking place amid a noticeable decline in Palestinian armed activity in the West Bank, while Israeli settlers and the military step up attacks on Palestinians.

Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers in the West Bank since the Gaza War began in October 2023 with tens of thousands more injured or detained.

Israeli forces have already deployed in force in Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, considered by Israel to be strongholds of armed Palestinian factions, displacing dozens of people.

In other areas, particularly along the illegal “separation wall” Israel has built in the West Bank, Israeli police are preparing to arrest those they describe as “illegal infiltrators”.

While Israeli authorities usually allow a limited number of Palestinians - typically women and the elderly - to enter occupied East Jerusalem to perform prayers during Ramadan, Israeli security forces are this time preparing to operate only two crossings, and to ensure that those who entered to perform religious rituals return to the West Bank at their designated time.

The Israeli army is also deploying in force in agricultural areas and along roads in the West Bank “for fear of attacks,” while continuing large-scale offensive operations that have been ongoing for some time.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the army are requiring any Palestinian shepherd who wants to graze livestock to inform the local army brigade of his destination.

At the same time, the army will conduct a special training exercise this week in the northern West Bank for the Nahal Brigade.

During the drill, the forces will begin using Eitan armored combat vehicles capable of carrying 12 soldiers and traveling at speeds of 90 km/h.

According to Yedioth Ahranoth, the soldiers operating these vehicles have already used them in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war, and they are currently stationed in Jenin refugee camp, from where they will head out for a 24-hour exercise simulating an attack on a village along the Lebanese border.