An American official confirmed that Washington is concerned that the escalating tensions in the West Bank could distract Israel and the United States from Iranian actions. This is a message that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin intends to convey during his visit to Israel today, Thursday. Austin postponed his arrival in Israel, and the government insisted on changing the meeting locations due to anticipated further protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government's plans for judicial changes.
This comes at a time when Israeli forces killed three Palestinians on Thursday, two days after they raided a refugee camp in Jenin, West Bank, during which six Palestinian militants were killed, including a Hamas militant suspected of shooting dead two brothers from a Jewish settlement near Hawara village last week. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated, "Secretary Austin is fully capable of discussing both issues (the West Bank and Iran)." The official pointed out that Israel's preoccupation with the West Bank "detracts from our ability to focus on the current strategic threat, which is Iran's dangerous nuclear advancements and its continued aggressive regional and international policies."
Austin is expected to meet with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant and Netanyahu near Tel Aviv's airport. The killing of the two Israeli brothers led to a retaliatory attack by settlers, during which a Palestinian was killed, and dozens of homes and cars were set ablaze in riots described by a senior Israeli commander as a "massacre." The riots sparked outrage and condemnation from the international community, with reactions intensifying after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Hawara should be "wiped out." The minister somewhat distanced himself from these comments later. Netanyahu sought to mitigate international anger on Sunday, saying Smotrich's remarks were "inappropriate."
Michael Mulroy, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs, stated, "Verbal assurances to do more to reduce violence are meaningless without taking action to implement them. The U.S. can play a positive role only if there is a willingness among all parties to work toward peace." There are no signs of reducing the level of violence before the onset of Ramadan and Passover. Since the beginning of the year, Israeli forces have killed more than 70 Palestinians, including militants and civilians. During the same period, Palestinians killed 13 Israelis and a Ukrainian tourist in seemingly uncoordinated attacks.
Last week, Israeli police fired sound grenades, and clashes occurred in Tel Aviv during a "day of unrest" across Israel, escalating protests against the government's judicial plan. In a scene not seen in Tel Aviv for years, mounted police confronted demonstrators who were breaching barriers and disrupting traffic. Live footage showed police dragging protesters away from the road while they shouted phrases such as "shame" and "we are the majority, we are in the streets."
Judicial changes would grant Netanyahu's coalition, composed of nationalist and religious factions, decisive power in the judicial selection process and limit the Supreme Court's authority regarding nullifying legislation or ruling against the executive branch. In 2019, Netanyahu faced corruption charges, which he denies. Upon forming his new government two months ago, Netanyahu promised his coalition partners to restructure the judiciary and consolidate Israel's control over the West Bank, which Palestinians seek for an independent state.
The U.S. official said, "Austin is committed to Israel's security, but one of the main ways we can work together to strengthen that relationship is that we are two democracies sharing common values," adding that these values include the right to protest. Dozens of reserve soldiers from the Israeli Air Force announced on Sunday that they would skip training in protest of Netanyahu's judicial plan, a shock for a country whose military is supposed to be apolitical and multi-ethnic.
Thirty-seven pilots and navigators from an F-15 squadron stated in a message circulated by local media that they would not attend some trainings to "dedicate our time to dialogue and reflection for democracy and national unity." Reserve soldiers in the Israeli Air Force are often required to fly once a week to maintain their readiness, and sometimes take on combat missions. However, they are classified as volunteers and have no legal obligation to attend training.
