Israeli lawmaker damages Palestinian memorial with sledgehammer
Zvi Sukkot, a MP from the far‑right Religious Zionism party, shattered a stone memorial in the Palestinian village of Madama using a sledgehammer while being guarded by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the occupied West Bank.
The memorial, erected in 2008 in memory of Palestinians killed in the 1968 Battle of Karameh and the 2000–2005 Intifadas, had become a focal point for those who mourn indigenous Palestinian casualties. After the assault, local leader Rami Nasar denounced the damage as an assault on remembrance and a call for renewed violence.
Footage captured by independent activists shows Sukkot, accompanied by a few others, hitting the stone tribute through a thick wall of IDF muskets. The MP reportedly mused on camera that “we cannot leave Here standing any place that glorifies terrorism; we must remove it.”
IDF investigators later reported that the soldiers present had not authorized the action but were present during the event. They said Sukkot and his group were stopped and escorted from Madama after the incident was reported to their commanders.
The incident caught the attention of Israeli political leaders across the spectrum. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement condemning the MP’s “reprehensible practice” and warning that such law‑of‑dits actions undermine national security. Opposition MP Gadi Eisenkot called Sukkot’s conduct a disgrace for anyone claiming to represent the public, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich targeted the left‑wing backlash, stating it was “more concerned with condemning Sukkot than addressing the underlying militaristic aggression.”
Military officials noted that this ordeal added to the West Bank’s escalating tensions: increased settler aggression has prompted international condemnation, and senior Israeli military officer Major General Avi Bluth has warned that the surge of violence may trigger a larger confrontation.
The incident is a stark reminder of the fragile status quo, with settler‑led attacks on Palestinian sites rising, and a broader struggle over memory, narrative, and security in the contested region.
