The IDF reinforced its West Bank division to a total of approximately 25 battalions amid growing tensions, violent confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians, and security establishment concerns over a wave of lone-wolf terrorism and organized terrorist infrastructure, as tens of thousands of Israeli hikers arrived in the area on Sunday.
In addition, a divisional headquarters responsible for the Judea and Etzion regional brigades was deployed to the area.
"IDF troops, Border Police, and Israel Police reinforced roads, hiking areas, known friction points, and communities," a military source in Central Command said.
"There is clear tension, and it is strongly felt on the ground. Several situation assessments were conducted throughout the day, along with ongoing updates from the field to headquarters," the source added.
Despite the reinforcements, military officials warned that the situation on the ground remained highly volatile. One of them told Walla that "all it would take is a friction incident between Palestinians and Israelis that spirals out of control, is caught on video, and ignites the area."
The IDF therefore decided to increase its efforts to reduce the number of dilemmas soldiers face in the field and respond to friction incidents as quickly as possible, "including police involvement in certain cases and the collection of evidence when necessary."
A security official added that the IDF, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and police had carried out preventive operations in the West Bank over the past month, including arrests of suspected inciters, warning conversations, and increased arrests of suspects wanted for questioning in violent hotspots.
Palestinian villages see string of attacks by far-right Israelis
A series of incidents of nationalist crime by far-right activists against Palestinians were also recorded across the West Bank over the weekend, particularly in the Binyamin Regional Brigade sector. The most common pattern involved property damage and Hebrew graffiti sprayed during the night.
In addition to sporadic local confrontations that included stone-throwing, several incidents involved groups of masked Israelis. The most notable occurred in the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir. Settlers entered the area, claiming they were grazing sheep. Shortly afterward, reports were received that masked individuals had smashed the windows of vehicles and homes.
On Thursday, the Ephraim Regional Brigade received a report of a confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis near the Ammurya outpost, during which a vehicle rolled into a ditch.
The Judea Regional Brigade also received a report that a Palestinian vehicle had been set on fire. In the Binyamin sector, reports were received early in the morning that vehicles had been torched and Hebrew graffiti sprayed in the village of Attara.
Another report said that 14 settlers entered the yard of a Palestinian home in the village of Abu Falah and smashed the windows of the resident's vehicle.
Later on Thursday, a Palestinian woman complained that she had been attacked in the evening while standing in traffic at Rimonim Junction, where a settler threw a stone at her, according to footage she uploaded to social media.
Palestinians report arson, graffiti, violence over weekend
On Friday, a Palestinian report received by the Binyamin Regional Brigade said that three vehicles had been set on fire and Hebrew graffiti sprayed in the village of Rantis during the morning.
On Saturday evening, a violent confrontation broke out between Israelis and Palestinians on the outskirts of al-Mughayyir. After Border Police officers arrived at the scene, another confrontation developed, this time between Border Police officers and Israelis who refused to leave the area.
At the same time, Border Police officers spotted masked settlers approaching from the north. They were suspected of smashing the windows of three vehicles and a Palestinian home. The suspects fled the scene shortly afterward.
Later, a report was received that masked individuals had set fire to a structure in Khirbet Abu Falah. IDF troops who arrived at the scene identified a confrontation between Israelis and several Palestinians who were throwing stones at one another.
On Sunday, Palestinians claimed that several Israelis attacked the Naif al-Ka'abneh community in the Ramallah area, east of Taybeh. According to the Palestinian claims, the Israelis smashed windows in Palestinian homes and vehicles. Palestinian reports further alleged that the attackers stole NIS 3,000 from Palestinians at the scene.