Israeli Defense Minister is strategizing a covert plan for the West Bank.
RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Israeli government has issued orders for its armed forces to make preparations for a prolonged presence in certain areas of the West Bank that are under occupation as part of escalating efforts against Palestinian militant factions, announced the Israeli defense minister on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the military to conduct an “intensive” operation in the West Bank following recent bus explosions near Tel Aviv last Thursday, characterized by Netanyahu’s office as an attempted large-scale assault, though fortunately, there were no reported casualties.
Israel’s military has been executing an extensive campaign in the West Bank in the past month, primarily targeting militants. This operation has led to tens of thousands of Palestinians being displaced from their homes in West Bank refugee camps, with significant destruction of housing and infrastructure.
In an official statement released on Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that he had mandated military units to broaden their operations within the Palestinian refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur al-Shams in the northern region of the West Bank to dismantle the infrastructure of the militants. According to Katz, approximately 40,000 Palestinians have evacuated these camps. The military announced the deployment of tanks to Jenin as part of the offensive, marking the first instance of tank deployment by Israel in the northern part of the Israeli-controlled West Bank in over two decades.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, criticized the decision to send tanks to the northern West Bank, labeling it as a perilous escalation by Israel that will not contribute to stability or peace, cautioning against the repercussions of such escalation.
Katz’s statement also specified that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been instructed to cease its operations in the camps. The agency was not immediately available for comment on the matter.
No specific group has claimed responsibility for the bus explosions in Tel Aviv, occurring amidst a fragile ceasefire in Gaza between the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and Israel following nearly 16 months of conflict. Despite mutual allegations of breaches, the ceasefire in Gaza has been holding since its initiation on January 19.
(Reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Emily Rose in Jerusalem, Clauda Tanios in Dubai, and Muhammad Al Gebaly in Cairo; Editing by Helen Popper)
