Knesset Member Zvi Sukkot Smashes Palestinian Memorial in Madama Village

The monument in Madama, a village south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, commemorated Palestinians killed during the First and Second Intifada and other local conflicts. It had stood for roughly two decades, according to village council head Rami Nassar. Israeli officials have repeatedly described such sites as “terrorist monuments” and have, in the past, removed symbols deemed incitement, though only after formal authorization.

Israeli lawmaker smashes Palestinian memorial

• August 12 (occurred) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recorded that Zvi Sukkot submitted a request to conduct a “tour of monuments” in several West Bank villages, including Madama.

Controversy in Israel over a deputy who destroys a memorial

• Early Tuesday (date not specified in sources) – Sukkor, accompanied by IDF soldiers, entered Madama and used a sledgehammer to damage the stone monument. Video footage shows at least two soldiers standing nearby without intervening.

New York Times

• Later that day – The IDF halted the demolition after troops reported the incident to their commanders.

Controversy in Israel over a deputy who destroys a memorial

The Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported a 63 % rise in attacks by Israeli settlers across the West Bank from January through July of the current year, recording 4,113 incidents compared with 2,524 in the same period last year. The commission linked the surge to the expansion of illegal settlement outposts and increased arming of settlers.

Express Tribune

• The army added that soldiers were diverted from operational duties to protect the delegation and that commanders ordered the group to stop and leave the site.

The Media Line

• He said he acted after repeated requests to the army to remove what he called “terror monuments.”

The Media Line

• Former army chief (unnamed in sources) – Accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of allowing “anarchists” like Sukkot to act unchecked, endangering security and Israel’s international standing.

Middle East Eye

• “The time has come to smash these memorials,” — Zvi Sukkot

Middle East Eye

• “For this coalition, flames are a working method,” — Yair Golan

Middle East Eye

• “Every child who sees every day a giant monument that glorifies murderers of Jews will dream of being a terrorist,” — Zvi Sukkot

The Media Line

• “Every child who sees a huge monument that glorifies the murderers of Jews every day will dream of becoming a terrorist,” — Zvi Sukkot

Controversy in Israel over a deputy who destroys a memorial

Sources agree that IDF soldiers were present during the demolition, but descriptions differ on their immediate response. The IDF reports that troops “quickly escorted out” the group after commanders intervened, whereas some eyewitness accounts describe soldiers standing by without attempting to stop the sledgehammer attack. No independent verification of the soldiers’ exact actions is provided.

Controversy in Israel over a deputy who destroys a memorial

The IDF indicated that future visits to Palestinian sites will require strict coordination with the Civil Administration. No further scheduled actions or hearings related to this incident have been announced.

Express Tribune