Loss of control: IDF admits to refraining from evacuating illegal outposts
In the first half of 2026, 660 incidents of nationalist crime were recorded in Judea and Samaria, alongside 45 deliberate attacks against security forces and 146 Palestinian casualties. The IDF warns of operational strain and is trying to curb friction on the ground.
The security establishment has long pointed out the lack of law and order in Judea and Samaria, noting that Israel is failing to exert governance over right-wing activist groups in the region.
These concerns are now supported by official security data. The increase in the scope of nationalist crime, Palestinian casualties, and deliberate attacks against security forces during the first half of 2026 is stark when compared to 2025 and 2024.
Scope of nationalist crime
In the first half of 2025, 440 criminal incidents occurred, followed by 405 in the second half of that year, and 660 in the first half of 2026. This represents a 63% increase compared to the second half of 2025 and a 50% increase compared to the first half of 2025.
Incidents of deliberate attacks against security forces reached 45 in the first half of 2026, an increase of 50% compared to the second half of 2025 and 40% compared to the first half of 2025.
Regarding casualties, 140 Palestinians were injured and six were killed in the first half of 2026 due to nationalist crime, marking a 70% increase in casualties compared to the second half of 2025 and a 25% increase compared to the first half of 2025.
The General's order
Against the backdrop of the sharp rise in nationalist crime, the commander of the Central Command, Major General Avi Bluth, recently issued an order declaring the Christian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah, a closed military zone. The order prohibits entry to anyone who is not a resident, including Israeli citizens and foreigners. Taybeh is the only village in Judea and Samaria where all residents are Christian.
The IDF clarified that the step is intended to prevent friction and thwart potential attacks by Jewish right-wing activists. The closed military zone order allows forces to more easily remove and arrest those violating the directive.
This move follows a surge in nationalist crime incidents in the village. Overall, the IDF reports that more than one hundred outposts have been built in recent weeks throughout Judea and Samaria in violation of the law. The IDF admitted that they have recently refrained from carrying out the evacuation of illegal outposts, noting that dealing with nationalist crime and illegal outposts requires the transfer of large resources that were intended for counter-terrorism efforts, as well as for IDF operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
