Netanyahu orders West Bank closure after Hebron checkpoint attack kills two soldiers
The gist
Israeli PM Netanyahu ordered a full West Bank closure and house-to-house operation after gunmen killed two soldiers in Hebron.
The move comes four days before Israeli elections and widens a crackdown on Palestinians.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tells TIME he wants Netanyahu to stay prime minister and prefers him over rival Gadi Eisenkot.
- Oct 21, 2026Israeli forces detain about 90 West Bank volunteers, including NY nominee Brad Lander, during the olive harvest.
- Oct 22, 2026Former US president Barack Obama says in Belfast that Israel 'took land off people and they were excessive' and has 'ceded moral ground.'