Israeli police asked right-wing Knesset members Idit Silman and Nir Orbach not to travel to the West Bank Homesh outpost Dec. 26, so as not to further increase tensions there. The two legislators intended to visit the place after attending an event in another West Bank settlement, not far away.

Just the day before, hundreds of Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops in the village of Burqa, adjacent to Homesh. The Palestinian Red Crescent said that seven Palestinian demonstrators in Burqa, including a 17-year-old boy, were hurt by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) live fire. An IDF spokesperson said that the teen had hurled a Molotov cocktail at the troops, and that in return the troops responded with gunfire.

Later that evening, dozens of Jewish right-wing activists tried marching toward Homesh, violating an IDF order banning the entry of Israelis into the area. Reportedly, the activists had purposely left their cars near the settlement of Sebastia, continuing from there by foot toward Homesh. They were stopped on their way by Israeli security forces present in the area.

Tensions sparked around Homesh following the Dec. 16 killing of Yehuda Dimentman, 25, who lived in the Shavei Shomron settlement but studied at the yeshiva in Homesh. Dimentman was shot by a Palestinian assailant while in the back seat of a car leaving the outpost, and died en route to the hospital. The driver of the car and another passenger were slightly injured in the incident. Reportedly, the car was ambushed in a pre-planned attack. No Palestinian group took responsibility for the assault, but Hamas praised the shooting. Israeli authorities believe the assailants were affiliated with the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group.