In brief
Video footage captured Israeli MP Zvi Sukkot, a member of the far‑right Religious Zionism party, striking a stone memorial in the Palestinian village of Madama with a sledgehammer while under military escort. The monument commemorates Palestinians killed in the 1968 Battle of Karameh and later intifadas. The IDF said soldiers observed the incident but were unable to intervene, later escorting Sukkot away. Israeli leaders condemned the act, while settler violence continues to fuel tensions in the West Bank.
By Sebastian Usher – Global affairs correspondent
A far‑right member of the Israeli parliament has badly damaged a Palestinian memorial in the occupied West Bank with a sledgehammer while under military escort. The incident has drawn strong criticism from Palestinians and across the political spectrum in Israel.
The video shows MP Zvi Sukkot – known for provocative anti‑Palestinian actions – and a few others hitting a stone monument in Madama. Sukkot said: "This is something we cannot leave standing here, because any place that glorifies terrorism, we must remove it."
The monument, erected in 2008, commemorates Palestinians killed in the 1968 Battle of Karameh and in the first and second intifadas, honoring victims irrespective of affiliation. The IDF said soldiers were present but did not intervene, later escorting Sukkot and his group out after the incident was reported to commanders.
The event has heightened tension in the West Bank, where settler attacks on Palestinians have risen. Madama itself has faced several such assaults. Israeli leaders issued statements condemning the act: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a reprehensible practice, while rival candidate Gadi Eisenkot described it as a disgrace for a public figure.
Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism party, criticized the left‑wing opposition’s focus on Sukkot rather than on terrorism itself. Senior Israeli military officer Major General Avi Bluth warned that mounting settler violence could trigger a major escalation.
