The fierce retaliation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to the new restrictions is a reflection of his tough re-election fight, analysts say.

Britain once followed in France’s slipstream when it came to pressuring Israel. Under new leadership, it is spearheading opposition to Israeli settlements, risking American anger.

Intensifying restrictions have hit every part of the territory’s dealings, spurring worries about whether the Palestinian Authority can remain solvent.

The military’s failure to keep extremists away from two Palestinian families trapped in their West Bank homes made clear the chaos gripping the Israeli-occupied territory.

A group of Israeli settlers has trapped two Palestinian families in the West Bank since Sunday, highlighting the Israeli army’s struggle to contain settler violence.