IDF bans Palestinian workers from Israeli settlements in West Bank after string of terror attacks

The IDF Central Command Chief, Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, has banned Palestinian workers from entering Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, according to a source speaking to Walla. This measure follows a recent string of terror attacks targeting Israeli residents in the West Bank throughout Thursday and Friday.

The ban comes after several violent incidents. On Thursday morning, Itamar Cohen, a member of a town's security team, was seriously wounded after being stabbed in the chest near Elon Moreh. His attackers were killed at the scene. Later that day, another terrorist stabbed a man in the Ganim area and was subsequently killed by IDF soldiers.

Friday saw further violence when two Israelis, including an IDF officer, were killed and several others wounded in a shooting attack near Gilad Farm. The IDF stated that a group of Israeli civilians had illegally crossed into Palestinian Authority-controlled territory while hiking. Palestinians confronted the group, throwing rocks before one opened fire. IDF troops exchanged fire with the suspected attackers, eventually locating and killing the assailant after he stole the weapon of the emergency response squad chief.

On Saturday, two Israeli men, one an active-duty soldier, were injured in a violent incident at Susiya Junction near the Hebron Hills. A Palestinian man threw stones at them and stole a weapon. The IDF clarified this was a violent clash involving stone-throwing, not a shooting attack.

While the general ban is in place, exceptions can be made for industrial areas and construction sites if Israeli community members specifically request them. This policy aims to enhance security in the wake of escalating violence.