A far‑right member of the Israeli parliament, Zvi Sukkot, struck a stone memorial in the Palestinian village of Madama in the occupied West Bank while escorted by Israeli soldiers, a video captured on August 20 shows.
The memorial commemorates Palestinians who died in the 1968 Battle of Karameh and in the first and second intifadas. It has been described by local leaders as a tribute to those who fought against Israeli forces, regardless of political affiliation.
Sukkot, who has a history of provocative anti‑Palestinian acts, said before the strike that “such places glorifying terrorism cannot remain.” His words were followed by the heavy blow to the stone monument.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that soldiers were present during the incident and that they had authorized a guided tour for Sukkot in the area. They later reported the event to commanding officers and escorted the group out of the village, claiming the participants acted deceptively and without proper authorization.
The strike has triggered condemnation from across the political spectrum in Israel, including the Prime Minister’s office. Ben Netanyahu’s statement criticized the approach as “reprehensible” and warned that it undermines the military’s focus on security tasks.
Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich also denounced Sukkot’s actions, each criticizing the incident from different angles—Eisenkot as a scandal for a public figure and Smotrich for what he considered an excess of left‑wing press attacks without addressing terrorism itself.
The event exemplifies growing tensions in the West Bank, where settler attacks on Palestinians have risen in recent months, raising concerns that they could trigger a broader conflict. Israeli senior military officials warned that such violence risks escalation and urged tighter controls to prevent further incidents.
