West Bank troop reinforcements prepared by Israel

Israel's military chief said Thursday he had ordered preparations to reinforce troops in the occupied West Bank ahead of the Jewish high holidays and amid rising violence in the territory.

Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said he was ordering the readiness of an additional division headquarters to reinforce forces in the area, according to a military statement. He also said preparations should be made for the immediate deployment of units and battalions.

“The IDF, across all of its arrays, will maintain full, multi-front readiness throughout the holiday period -- there will be no reduction in operational forces,” Zamir was quoted as saying.

The Jewish high holiday season begins in mid-September with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live there in settlements that are illegal under international law, alongside about three million Palestinians.

Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has increased since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas from the Gaza Strip.