Kathmandu— A far-right member of Israel’s parliament, Zvi Sukkot, destroyed a memorial dedicated to Palestinians killed in conflict with Israel on Tuesday in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred while Sukkot was under escort by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who have since condemned his actions as unauthorized and deceptive. The destruction has drawn criticism from within Israel's government and sparked renewed concerns about escalating tensions and settlement expansion in the region.

Incident Details

Zvi Sukkot, a member of the Religious Zionist party led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, claimed he removed the monument in the village of Madama because it “glorified murderers of Jews.” Video footage circulating online shows Sukkot and another individual using sledgehammers to damage the memorial while an IDF soldier stood nearby. The aftermath revealed partially smashed tiles around the stone base of the structure.

Official Reactions

The IDF stated that Sukkot had received permission for a “tour of monuments” in the West Bank but acted without authorization when he damaged the memorial. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement emphasizing that taking the law into one's own hands is unacceptable, though it did not specifically name Sukkot. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s political rival, described the act as “a disgrace,” accusing Sukkot of misleading the IDF and harming Israel’s security.

Escalating Tensions in West Bank

Sukkot's Religious Zionist party has been a leading advocate for expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Last week, Israel opened bidding for the construction of over 1,200 new homes as part of this expansion, a project critics say could effectively divide the West Bank. Violence by settlers against Palestinians has also been on the rise, with approximately 190 attacks reported in the first four months of this year according to UN data.

International Condemnation

The settlement push has faced widespread international condemnation. Leaders from over a dozen European countries recently denounced it as “unacceptable” and Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, urged Israel to halt its expansion into Palestinian territories and address settler violence. Moscow continues to advocate for a two-state solution as the path toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The incident underscores ongoing tensions in the occupied West Bank and raises concerns about the potential for further escalation amid continued settlement expansion and rising settler violence.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.