Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's plan for Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank is already being implemented, even before its official launch.

On Aug. 17, Liberman presented a plan to deal with Palestinian terrorism by dividing Palestinian towns and villages into “green” ones whose residents have abstained from terror activity and “red” for those whose residents have engaged in attacks against Israelis. Israel would deal with the “red” ones with an iron fist, whereas the “green” ones would enjoy economic benefits and goodwill gestures.

In recent weeks, according to Palestinians who spoke to Al-Monitor, even before the plan’s official publication, Israel’s military activity in the West Bank has undergone a significant overhaul. Israeli troops conduct almost nightly operations in the refugee camps and in villages and towns whose residents have allegedly attacked Israeli targets. One of the main targets of this activity, according to the Palestinians, is the Dheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem. In addition, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units conduct operations almost every night in Palestinian villages in the Hebron district.

Most of the military activity takes place in the part of the West Bank designated in the Oslo Accord as Area A, which is under the full civilian and military control of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The IDF generally avoids entering the area, other than in emergencies. The reported nightly military activities reflect the new policy adopted by Israeli security forces — a policy that is the exact opposite of the strategy implemented in the past by former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, who believed that any friction with the Palestinian population could increase the motivation of young people to carry out attacks and escalate tensions.