In an unusual move, Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has ordered the activation of the 98th Division in the occupied West Bank, assigning it responsibility for areas in the southern West Bank, including Hebron Governorate, according to reports.
The move was described by Israeli reports as “unprecedented” and something that “has not been carried out in this manner for years.”
According to Israeli reports, the 98th Division, which includes paratrooper brigades and commando units, will assume responsibility for the southern part of the West Bank.
The decision comes amid assessments by Israeli security agencies that tensions in the West Bank could escalate in the coming days, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, the start of the olive-picking season, and the approaching Israeli elections.
In this context, the Israeli army is seeking to strengthen its field deployment and increase troop presence along major roads and around settlements, as well as reinforce forces in areas experiencing repeated confrontations.
The Israeli army also links the measures to expectations that large numbers of settlers will take part in incursions into various sites across the West Bank during the Jewish holiday period.
Its assessments also take into account the Palestinian olive-picking season, which annually witnesses attacks by settlers against Palestinian farmers, alongside increased Israeli military deployment in areas surrounding settlements and along bypass roads.
The reinforcements come as the West Bank continues to witness sustained field escalation, amid Palestinian concerns that the increased presence of Israeli forces and settlers could lead to further attacks in the coming period.
Source: Wafa
