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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| IDF says Palestinian arms dealer involved in attack on troops killed in West Bank |
| 2026-06-25 |
| [IsraelTimes] A Palestinian arms dealer involved in an attack on troops was killed by Israeli commandos in the West Bank town of Yamun earlier today, the IDF says. Soldiers of the Duvdevan Unit attempted to detain Mohamed Zayed, who was hiding in Yamun. “During the attempt to apprehend him, he attempted to attack the soldiers and was eliminated on the scene,” the military says. According to the IDF, Zayed was an arms dealer, and he provided the weapon used in an attack last year in which two soldiers were severely wounded. Israel halts Palestinian construction work amid expansion of Israel Antiquities Authority’s powers [IsraelTimes] The Civil Administration halted construction work and confiscated an excavator belonging to Palestinians in the Jericho area of the West Bank, in Area A, as part of an expansion of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s powers. In February, the security cabinet approved broad enforcement powers for the Antiquities Authority, including measures ostensibly aimed at preventing damage to archaeological sites in Areas A and B. Under the Oslo Accords, responsibility for archaeology in those areas lies with the Palestinian Authority. Monday’s incident appears to be the first time such action has been taken since the decision was approved four months ago. A local resident, Iyad Makhalis, tells The Times of Israel that work began on Monday to open an additional road in the area, which he said was needed because of difficulties reaching the Palestinian village of Ein ad-Duyuk, north of Jericho. The Times of Israel has learned that the work was part of an organized Palestinian Authority plan to replace the existing road with a safer one. Archaeological remains are located in the area, and excavations have previously been carried out there. According to Makhalis, the civilian security coordinator of one of the nearby settlements arrived at the location on Monday morning and confiscated the excavator’s keys. Later that day, IDF forces arrived and confiscated the excavator itself on behalf of the Civil Administration. In response to a query from The Times of Israel, the Civil Administration says it received a report regarding an excavator operating near the outskirts of Jericho, in Area A, “to open a route in the vicinity of an archaeological site containing a Jewish cemetery and numerous historical artifacts.” “Upon receiving the report, officers from the Jordan Valley District Coordination and Liaison Headquarters, together with the inspection unit, acted to confiscate the excavator in accordance with authorities and procedures aimed at protecting archaeological sites throughout Judea and Samaria,” the administration says, using the biblical name for the West Bank. Related: Yamun: 2025-11-06 IDF says Palestinian killed after throwing explosive device at troops in northern West Bank Yamun: 2025-08-29 Israeli military carries out more raids near Jenin, Ramallah Yamun: 2025-04-25 IDF, Border Police say they arrested terror cell head in West Bank’s Balata refugee camp |
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