Israel raises military readiness ahead of 27 October elections
IDF restricts soldiers' movements and sends extra forces to the West Bank to secure the parliamentary vote.
The Israeli military said it has raised its state of readiness ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 October, ordering that from Thursday soldiers will no longer be allowed to leave their units and that additional forces will be deployed to the occupied West Bank.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said measures are aimed at ensuring the elections take place as planned and in secure conditions. The steps follow concerns about possible attacks that could be used to influence the vote, and come amid a reported rise in attacks by radical Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir convened senior officers for talks on the security situation across various fronts. During a visit last week to the Central Command, Zamir warned of an increased risk of escalation and said that numerous warnings had arrived from different fronts.
Heightened deployments and election security
Alongside the restrictions on soldiers’ movements, the IDF is increasing troop presence in sensitive areas of the West Bank to deter incidents that might affect polling. Military officials say the measures are preventive and intended to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
Reports in Israeli media have highlighted particular concern over the possibility of attacks by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas against Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to an air base, issued a stark warning to Israel’s enemies.
"We are ready, determined and have the capacity to strike our enemies immediately when required," Netanyahu said.
Photo: press material from the event
