# Israel’s Katz Warns IDF to Prepare for War With Palestinian Authority Forces if They Open Fire

*Monday, September 7, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-07T10:07:30.978Z (1h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Middle East
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/17164.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

---

**Deck**: After a stabbing attack near the Trans‑Samaria Highway, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the army has been instructed to prepare for a comprehensive campaign against Palestinian Authority security forces if they turn their weapons on Israelis or are found to be planning a major assault.

Israel’s defence minister has told the military to prepare for a possible large‑scale confrontation with Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank if those forces open fire on Israelis or are found to be preparing a major attack.

Israel Katz issued his warning in a statement after a stabbing attack south of the Trans‑Samaria Highway, a main route also known as Route 505 that connects Route 60 to the Jordan Valley. The stabbing took place in an area overlooking the highway.

According to reporting from the scene, the assailant stabbed an Israeli before fleeing. The attacker was later located by Israel Defense Forces units near his vehicle in the village of Qabalan, close to where the attack occurred. Palestinian sources said he was killed at the entrance to his home in Qabalan after refusing to surrender.

Footage from the incident showed the attacker running away after his knife broke during the stabbings. Security forces launched a manhunt in the area before locating him.

In his statement, Katz said that if there is a “turning of weapons” and Palestinian Authority security apparatuses or affiliated bodies open fire, or if Israel knows for certain that they are about to launch an attack in the style of the 7 October assaults against IDF forces and Jewish settlements, then he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have instructed the army to be ready for a comprehensive campaign against those forces.

Such a shift would mark a sharp break from the long‑standing but fragile security coordination in parts of the West Bank, where Palestinian Authority units have continued to operate alongside regular Israeli incursions and settler activity.

Signals to watch include any visible changes in day‑to‑day coordination between Israeli and Palestinian Authority forces, Israeli moves targeting specific PA units or facilities, and reactions from Palestinian factions and neighbouring states to Katz’s warning.