Israelis routinely enter West Bank without military approval, senior IDF officer says

A senior IDF Central Command officer said that several Israelis enter the West Bank for hikes each week without military approval, and the military often learns about them only after the fact. The officer's remarks came amid heightened tensions and followed the July 24 terrorist attack near Tal, in which two soldiers were killed. He emphasized that the IDF requires coordination for all hikes in areas under Israeli control.

A senior IDF Central Command officer said on Friday that several Israelis enter the West Bank for hikes each week without military approval, and the military often learns about them only after the fact. The officer noted that despite the issue, dozens of hikes are conducted with IDF authorization and coordination. His comments came amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, concerns over a potential series of terrorist attacks, and increasing friction between Palestinians and Israelis in the area. The senior officer said the IDF permits hikes throughout areas under Israeli security and civilian control as long as they undergo the required coordination process. He also addressed the July 24 terrorist attack on the outskirts of the Palestinian village of Tal, in the Samaria Brigade sector, in which Maj. Yuval Ezra and Capt. Binyahu Malat were killed. The officer described how the hike that day proceeded for nearly two hours without IDF soldiers being aware of it, until an observation soldier identified it. Following the attack, the IDF carried out arrests and transferred dozens of suspects for questioning by the Shin Bet.