Israeli lawmaker smashes Palestinian memorial in occupied West Bank

Far-right Israeli lawmaker Zvi Sukkot used a sledgehammer to destroy a Palestinian memorial in the occupied West Bank village of Madama. Sukkot, a member of the Religious Zionism party, stated the memorial commemorated Palestinians who had killed Israelis and argued it should be removed to prevent inspiring future 'martyrs'.

The Israeli military later stated that the demolition was not authorized through proper channels and that its forces had halted the act, describing Sukkot and his staff as having acted in a 'deceptive and manipulative manner'. Sukkot's office claimed he acted because the army had not responded to his demands to destroy the memorial.

The incident drew widespread criticism from across Israel's political spectrum. Opposition figures accused Sukkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of enabling lawlessness in the West Bank. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar criticized Sukkot's actions, stating that Israeli lawmakers are not the sovereign in the West Bank and that decisions must be made by the state.

The memorial had reportedly stood for approximately 20 years and had never previously been damaged. Sukkot has a history of similar provocative actions.