Far-right Israeli Lawmaker Damages Palestinian Memorial with Sledgehammer
A far-right member of the Israeli parliament (Religious Zionism party) used a sledgehammer to strike a Palestinian memorial in the occupied West Bank village of Madama while under military escort, an incident that drew strong criticism from Palestinians and across the Israeli political spectrum. [According to BBC, Zvi Sukkot, a member with a history of provocative anti-Palestinian acts, said the monument glorifying terrorism must be removed.]
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 2 min read
A far-right member of the Israeli parliament (Religious Zionism party) used a sledgehammer to strike a Palestinian memorial in the occupied West Bank village of Madama while under military escort, an incident that drew strong criticism from Palestinians and across the Israeli political spectrum. According to BBC, Zvi Sukkot, a member with a history of provocative anti-Palestinian acts, said the monument glorifying terrorism must be removed.
The memorial, erected in 2008, was built to honor Palestinians killed in the 1968 Battle of Karameh and during the first and second intifadas, intended to commemorate those who died in conflict with Israel regardless of political affiliation. The village head, Rami Nasar, explained the monument's purpose was to honour all martyrs, while footage showed Sukkot leading the assault with others striking the stone structure.
Israeli military officials confirmed soldiers were present during the incident after the IDF approved a tour of monuments in the area for Sukkot and his group, though they condemned the actions as occurring without authorization. The IDF stated that soldiers eventually stopped Sukkot and escorted his group out after reporting the incident to commanders, noting that settlers have previously acted with impunity while soldiers stood by.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised Sukkot's actions as "reprehensible," while his main election rival Gadi Eisenkot called the behaviour "a disgrace for anyone who claims to represent the public," adding that Netanyahu was allowing "anarchists like Zvi Sukkot and his ilk to do whatever they please, endangering security in the settlements and harming Israel's standing in the world." Netanyahu's office explicitly denounced taking the law into one's own hands, especially involving public figures.
The incident has intensified tensions across the West Bank where settler attacks on Palestinian communities have drawn international condemnation, with Madama itself having been targeted by settlers on multiple prior occasions, contributing to growing concerns among regional observers about escalating violence in the occupied territories.
**Sources:** BBC
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