<p>A member of Israel’s parliament vandalized a memorial to deceased Palestinians in the West Bank this week, generating backlash from various groups.</p>
<p>Lawmaker Zvi Sukkot, from the Religious Zionist Party, was on a military-guided tour in Kafr Madama on Tuesday when he recorded himself using a sledgehammer to strike the memorial. He described the act as a “small taste” of a broader campaign to dismantle similar memorials in the area.</p>
<p>“Every child who sees every day a giant monument that glorifies murderers of Jews will dream of being a terrorist,” Sukkot stated on social media after the incident. “There is no place for support of terror in the State of Israel!”</p>
<p>Sukkot justified his actions by claiming he had repeatedly requested the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to remove the monuments, which he said include names of individuals linked to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.</p>
<p>“I have appealed to the IDF several times in recent weeks with a request to remove the terror monuments throughout the area as part of the war on terror, and I very much hope that this will happen as soon as possible,” he said.</p>
<p>The IDF distanced itself from Sukkot’s actions, stating that it was not informed of his intentions prior to the tour and that the destruction of the memorial was “contrary to the coordination.”</p>
<p>“The participants acted deceitfully and manipulatively, without authority and in complete violation of the approved framework, and began demolishing one of the memorials in the village of Madama,” the IDF said in a statement. “The IDF views the MK’s conduct and lack of coordination as serious, and as an exploitation of the protection provided by security forces in order to act in complete excess of his authority.”</p>
<p>Rami Nassar, leader of the Kafr Madama village council, criticized the incident, suggesting it sends a message to other settlers that violence is tolerated in the West Bank and could lead to further violent actions against Palestinians.</p>
<p>“When an official Israeli politician acts like this, what can we expect from other radical settlers?” Nassar asked. “It could push them to follow in his footsteps, leading to more raids and causing harm and harassment to residents and their property.”</p>
<p>Nassar also contested Sukkot’s claim that the memorial would inspire Palestinian children to engage with terrorism, arguing that it is the MK’s actions that are more likely to incite local populations.</p>
<p>“Our community wants to live in peace, but what he did is incitement that can make people feel like they’re about to explode from within,” Nassar said. “Violence and escalation need to stop.”</p>
<p>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a measured condemnation of Sukkot, stating that such lawlessness “hinders the IDF from focusing on its missions against terrorism and incitement.”</p>
<p>“The IDF is the sovereign authority in Judea and Samaria and is responsible for implementing the decisions of the political echelon,” Netanyahu said. “Taking the law into one’s own hands — particularly by public figures — is unacceptable.”</p>
<p>Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, a political opponent of Netanyahu, labeled Sukkot a “disgrace” and a “violent provocateur” who misrepresents the values of Religious Zionism.</p>
<p>Eisenkot further criticized Netanyahu for allowing Sukkot and others to act without restraint, which he argued endangers security in the settlements and damages Israel’s international standing.</p>
<p>Current polls indicate Eisenkot’s party is leading over Netanyahu’s coalition, which they have characterized as ineffective in managing the Palestinian territories, while affirming their stance against the establishment of a Palestinian state.</p>