Protest in Hebron Turns Violent as Israeli Forces Use Stun Grenade Amid Mass Displacement
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Israeli troops fired a stun grenade to disperse a protest in Hebron after a military operation displaced more than 3,000 Palestinians following the killing of two soldiers.
Israeli troops deployed a stun grenade on Tuesday to break up a demonstration by Palestinians in Hebron, where a military operation has forced thousands from their homes. The protest occurred as Israelis cast votes in a national election in which the West Bank remains a contentious issue.
The operation, launched after two Israeli soldiers were shot at a checkpoint last week, has targeted neighborhoods near the site of the attack. The United Nations reported that over 3,000 residents have been displaced, and UN human-rights chief Volker Türk described collective punishment as a violation of international law and warned that threats to empty entire neighborhoods raise concerns of ethnic cleansing.
Palestinian residents gathered with signs condemning collective punishment, closures and displacement. An elderly protester held a placard reading, "No to collective punishment, no to closures, and no to displacement."
"Collective punishment is a grave violation of international law," Volker Türk said in a statement.
"Where is the democracy in all of this? Their elections are today, sure, but what about us? Aren't we human beings? We want to go out, we want to visit the doctor," said Noura Nassar, a displaced resident who attended the protest.
The Israeli military said the stun grenade was used to allow its operation to continue and noted that searches of homes had not uncovered weapons. Since the checkpoint attack, Israeli forces have restricted entry to many Palestinian cities and towns across the West Bank, limiting movement for residents.
Opposition leaders in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot, have reiterated their stance against an independent Palestinian state. Residents expelled from the Hebron neighborhood expressed skepticism that the election would alter conditions on the ground.
"Among themselves they will elect who is the oppressor and who will destroy the Palestinian people. That is their election," said Sana' Salman Abu Sneineh, another displaced resident.
The situation underscores ongoing tensions over settlement expansion, security measures and civilian displacement in the occupied territories.