Major General Avi Bluth, the head of the Israel Defense Forces Central Command, allegedly instructed a group of Israeli settlers not to alert top military commanders before illegally entering eight homes in the Palestinian city of Jericho, according to a report published by The Times of Israel on Friday, November 6, 2026. The development follows an operation that forced the military to divert three platoons to protect the squatting settlers, drawing sharp domestic condemnation and fierce denials from the defense establishment.
The sequence began on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when settler activists established an outpost in a Palestinian neighborhood on the outskirts of Jericho. Security sources cited by Haaretz revealed that Maj. Gen. Bluth met with the organizers in advance, explicitly telling them to withhold notice from senior officers under his command until they had already occupied the residences. He reportedly even wished the organizers luck on the eve of the illegal entry.
While the settlers maintained they legally purchased the homes, rights groups and local officials pointed out that the targeted neighborhood sits entirely on state land, precluding any legitimate private acquisition. The sudden occupation spurred immediate fear among local residents, prompting several Palestinian families to flee the area amid rising regional tensions. “There is a sense that something is about to happen and that someone is trying to heat up the situation on the ground,” a senior IDF official told Haaretz.
Additional reports from Channel 16 indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz received advance notice of the settler action yet took no steps to halt it. Settlements Minister Orit Strock subsequently visited the site to meet with the settlers.
Military Dismisses Allegations Against Central Command Chief
The military pushed back forcefully against the allegations leveled at its Central Command chief. In an official statement, the IDF dismissed the claims against Maj. Gen. Bluth as entirely false without providing further elaboration. The military also rejected separate sharp criticisms regarding a closed military zone order signed by Bluth near the West Bank village of Burin.
| Key Figure / Official | Action / Reported Involvement | Official / Institutional Response |
|---|---|---|
| Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth | Accused of meeting settlers in advance and telling them to delay notifying top commanders. | IDF rejected the allegations as false and detached from reality. |
| Ehud Olmert | Accused Bluth of aiding Jewish terrorism and restricting visits to Burin. | IDF stated Olmert’s claims are grave, impermissible, and groundless. |
| Benjamin Netanyahu & Israel Katz | Reportedly tipped off ahead of the Jericho entry without acting to stop it. | No immediate administrative action taken to clear the homes. |
That military order blocked former prime minister Ehud Olmert from visiting an area in the central West Bank that has seen repeated settler attacks against Palestinians. Olmert planned to join a delegation of senior former Israeli officials, a visit that would have required protection from the Shin Bet internal security agency.
Speaking on Kan public radio, Olmert launched a blistering attack against the Central Command chief. “For dozens of years I have never taken such a harsh personal stance against a general in the army, but I can no longer sit silently, I can’t close my eyes, I can’t ignore what I see with my eyes,” Olmert said, accusing Bluth of “effectively aiding Jewish terrorism.” The IDF countered by stating that labeling a senior commander’s actions as aid to terror is grave, impermissible, and completely detached from reality.
Surging Violence Across the West Bank
The unauthorized entry into Jericho coincides with a measurable surge in settler violence and daily harassment across the West Bank over recent months, with few perpetrators facing formal charges or convictions. These incidents, frequently targeting international diplomats, journalists, and local civilians, have drawn widespread international backlash.
Early Saturday morning, digital footage documented Israeli settlers beating a Palestinian man during an overnight raid on a hamlet in the Masafer Yatta region of the southern West Bank. According to Palestinian media reports, the victim lost consciousness from the assault. Local authorities reported no immediate arrests following the incident, and the IDF offered no immediate comment on the footage.
