In a surprise operation this morning, hundreds of soldiers and agents, accompanied by bulldozers, isolated a Jewish settlement area near Bethlehem (West Bank) and then destroyed the houses in some outposts established near the Pney Kedem colony. The military's presence sparked outrage from MP Simcha Rothman, a leader of the Religious Zionism party who lives in the colony. His party leader Bezalel Smotrich (the finance minister who also serves as minister in the Defense Ministry) also accused the region's military commander, Yehuda Fuchs, of “bypassing” him.
But Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded that he had personally ordered this operation, which coincided with the arrival of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Israel.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration has repeatedly expressed concern about settler activity in the West Bank.
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