"Another chief for the area": Behind the deployment of the additional division headquarters in Judea and Samaria
The IDF is activating Division 98 headquarters in Judea and Samaria amid a series of attacks, but a senior military official emphasizes there are no specific warnings. The activation aims to improve forces' real-time response to incidents, against the backdrop of historical changes in the settlement area.
The IDF is activating Division 98 headquarters in Judea and Samaria, starting this Friday, amid a series of attacks in recent days. This is an unusual activation that has not occurred since Operation Defensive Shield in 2002. The division, considered one of the IDF's top quality divisions, will operate in the Etzion and Judea brigades, while the Judea and Samaria Division will handle the Binyamin, Samaria, Ephraim, and Menashe brigades. A senior military official said: "There are no specific warnings of attacks at this stage. We try to kill every cell as soon as it emerges." Additionally, the article notes that the Judea and Samaria area has undergone a historic facelift: over 100 new settlements have been established, and the number of agricultural farms stands at over 150, controlling over one million dunams. According to the article, the IDF has not digested this change and has always been one step behind. The activation of the additional division is planned for the holiday period, and may remain until after the elections.