The Israel Defense Forces had closed off an entrance to the Palestinian town of Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya in the Binyamin region of Samaria following repeated terror attacks emanating from it, the army told JNS on Tuesday.
“Checkpoints throughout Judea and Samaria are opened and closed in accordance with operational assessments,” the IDF said in a statement.
“This particular route was blocked because it had been used by suspects who carried out numerous stone-throwing and Molotov cocktail attacks targeting civilian roads near the village,” the statement noted.
The blockade was enacted after Jewish residents of the region organized daily prayer rallies outside the Arab village in protest against the attacks.
“Starting Thursday, we ... will begin holding morning prayers at Lubban at 7 a.m. until the situation changes and we receive what we want from the regional brigade commander,” stated a group of residents from Eli, Shiloh and Ma’aleh Levonah in a May 28 WhatsApp announcement.
In the wake of the May 14 terrorist murder of Tzeela Gez, rock-throwing attacks have been reported in areas that were previously relatively quiet, including near Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya. For 1 km., or 0.6 miles, Israel’s busy Route 60 north-south highway passes by the village’s schools.
Israel’s Ynet news outlet cited security sources as claiming on Monday night that Iran regards Palestinian terror organizations in Judea and Samaria as its “last proxy” and was working to ignite more violence.
The IDF launched “Operation Iron Wall” on Jan. 21 to neutralize the threat posed by Iran-backed terrorist organizations in the territories.
Overnight Tuesday, Israeli security forces engaged in counter-terror operations across Judea and Samaria, the IDF, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police announced in a joint statement on Wednesday morning. Twenty wanted terrorists were apprehended, according to the statement.
During a raid in the Hebron area of Judea, security forces discovered an explosives laboratory, other weapons and “tens of thousands” of shekels in terror funds, the forces stated, adding that five suspects were arrested.
In the Jenin area, Israel Border Police undercover officers, guided by ISA intelligence, arrested a terror operative involved in weapons trafficking.
Meanwhile, during what was described as a “battalion-level operation” in villages near Tulkarem in western Samaria, four suspects were arrested, and an explosive device along with terror funds were seized.
Earlier this week, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched a new plan aimed at thwarting Iran-backed terror in Judea and Samaria following the conclusion of “Operation Rising Lion” against Tehran.
“We are currently in a momentum that will not return. The head of the octopus—Iran—has taken a fatal blow, and this is the opportunity to strike a blow against the octopus’s arms within us as well,” Ben-Gvir declared in remarks cited by Hebrew media on Monday evening.
“Judea and Samaria are full of extremist Islamic elements with the exact same agenda: the destruction of the Jewish people,” the minister said in a statement, adding: “There is no difference between Tehran and Jenin.”
Palestinian terrorists targeted Israeli Jews in Judea and Samaria at least 6,343 times in 2024, according to figures published by the Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria) NGO on Feb. 17.
Twenty-seven Israelis were murdered in Judea and Samaria in 2024, and more than 300 others were wounded, the group said in its annual report.
