Israel Orders Military to Prepare for Major Conflict with Palestinian Authority Amid Rising Tensions in the West Bank

Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel’s military has received orders to prepare for an “all-out war” against the Palestinian Authority if officials determine the internationally backed organisation is planning an “October 7-style terrorist attack against [Israeli soldiers] and Jewish settlements” .

Mr Katz stated that such a military campaign could target “senior officials and apparatuses of the authority and the bodies associated with it”. He warned that it might result in the displacement of entire cities in the occupied West Bank, mirroring the actions taken in Gaza and southern Lebanon where the military has devastated vast areas and forced out residents.

This aggressive threat marks a significant escalation in rhetoric from the ultranationalist Israeli government against the Palestinian Authority. Established under the Oslo Accords to govern parts of the West Bank pending Palestinian statehood, the body has maintained security co-operation with Israel and key allies despite frequent Israeli accusations of celebrating militancy.

The announcement highlights the severe decline in power of the Palestinian Authority, which currently faces mounting economic and legitimacy crises. Many Palestinians view the organisation as corrupt, ineffective, and overly accommodating to Israeli interests, noting it has lost effective control over significant portions of its territory, particularly in the northern West Bank.

The warning followed an incident on Monday morning where a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli at a farming outpost in the West Bank, leaving the victim in a “moderate-to-serious condition”. The attacker was shot dead by Israel’s military shortly afterward.

Following the attack, Defence Minister Israel Katz reiterated that Israel’s policy in the West Bank focuses on aggressively targeting Palestinian terrorism, expanding Jewish settlements, and preserving security stability. This commitment to advancing settlements persists despite international criticism, with the UK planning potential sanctions against Israel and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee recently demanding “severe consequences” for violent settlers following widespread global condemnation.