Far-right Israeli lawmaker damages Palestinian memorial with sledgehammer
Zvi Sukkot's actions have drawn widespread condemnation, including from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A far-right Israeli legislator has caused significant damage to a Palestinian memorial in the occupied West Bank, using a sledgehammer while under military escort.
Footage shows Zvi Sukkot, a member of the far-right Religious Zionism party, striking the stone monument in the Palestinian village of Madama. Several others were also seen participating. This act has drawn strong condemnation from Palestinians and across the Israeli political spectrum.
Sukkot, who has a history of provocative anti-Palestinian actions, stated in the video, "This is something we cannot leave standing here, because any place that glorifies terrorism, we must remove it."
Rami Nasar, the head of the Madama village council, explained that the monument was erected in 2008 to commemorate Palestinians who died in the 1968 Battle of Karameh—a day-long military confrontation between Israeli forces and those of the PLO and Jordan. It also honors Palestinians killed during the first and second intifadas. Nasar clarified that its purpose was to honor those killed in conflict with Israel, regardless of their political affiliation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its soldiers were present during the incident, having approved a tour of monuments in the area for Sukkot and providing security. However, the IDF stated that Sukkot and his group acted deceptively and without authorization. Soldiers eventually stopped Sukkot and escorted his group out of Madama after reporting the incident to their commanders. This incident follows previous instances where soldiers have been filmed not intervening during settler violence.
The event has further escalated tensions in the West Bank, where an increase in settler attacks on Palestinians in recent months has drawn international condemnation. Madama itself has been the target of multiple settler attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement criticizing Sukkot's actions, saying, "Taking the law into one's own hands, especially when it involves public figures, is a reprehensible practice that prevents the IDF from focusing on its missions of combating terrorism and incitement to violence."
Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival in the upcoming general election, called Sukkot's behavior "a disgrace for anyone who claims to represent the public and be a leader." Eisenkot also criticized Netanyahu for "allowing anarchists like Zvi Sukkot and his ilk to do whatever they please, endangering security in the settlements and harming Israel's standing in the world."
Conversely, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads Sukkot's Religious Zionism party, criticized what he termed the "frantic rush of the left-wing opposition to condemn Sukkot rather than terrorism itself."
On Monday, Israeli media reported that Major General Avi Bluth, the most senior Israeli military officer in the West Bank, informed Netanyahu in a closed-door meeting that the escalating settler violence could trigger a major escalation.