IDF Pulls Nablus Monument Destroyed by Lawmaker

The Israeli military dismantled a stone monument in the West Bank village of Madama on Monday night.

The structure, which the IDF described as a memorial to members of the al-Aqsa brigade and victims of the intifada, was damaged in August by Religious Zionist Party MK Zvi Sukkot.

The removal occurred during a counterterrorism operation in the Nablus area. The military stated that its forces targeted wanted suspects, searched for weapons, and eliminated monuments they said glorified terrorism.

Sukkot accompanied by Israeli soldiers when he and others damaged the site in August. Footage of the incident showed the group breaking parts of the structure.

The lawmaker defended his actions at the time, claiming he had repeatedly asked the IDF to remove what he called terror monuments. In a post on X/Twitter, he wrote, "Every child who sees every day a giant monument that glorifies murderers of Jews will dream of being a terrorist."

He described the act as "a small taste" of the measures needed in the area. "There is no place for support of terror in the State of Israel!" he added.

The IDF later said Sukkot and his group acted without authorization and violated the terms of their coordinated visit. The military noted that it routinely removes incitement symbols subject to approval and coordination with the Civil Administration.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also condemned the unauthorized act in August. He stated that the IDF is the sovereign authority in Judea and Samaria and is responsible for implementing political decisions. "Taking the law into one's own hands, particularly by public figures, is unacceptable and hinders the IDF from focusing on its missions against terrorism and incitement," Netanyahu said.

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot called Sukkot a "violent provocateur" who misled the military. B'Yachad leader Naftali Bennett accused the government of undermining Israel's standing to gain views on social media.

Rami Nassar, the head of the Kafr Madama village council, warned that the incident could encourage other radical settlers to follow suit. "It could push them to follow in his footsteps, leading to more raids and causing harm and harassment to residents and their property," Nassar said.