Israel has blocked a Palestinian Authority plan to establish a new refugee-style camp that would have housed thousands of displaced residents from northern West Bank refugee camps. Security officials delivered an ultimatum that any such refugee camp would be destroyed, potentially by force, citing concerns it would evolve into a concentrated terrorist stronghold dangerously close to central Israel.
Operation "Iron Wall" has been underway for approximately four months, aimed at eliminating massive terror cells that had established themselves in refugee camps. Due to the intensive military activity, residents who lived in these areas have relocated. Thousands have already purchased apartments elsewhere throughout Judea and Samaria, while thousands more are currently staying with relatives across the West Bank.
The PA apparently understood that declarations from Israeli political and security officials that residents would not return to the refugee camps, which had transformed into deadly terrorist hubs, would remain in effect for the coming year. Consequently, they decided to proceed with a controversial plan to build what would essentially function as a displaced persons camp. The new facility was slated for construction in the Samaria region and would include trailers or prefabricated housing units. Initial earthwork had already begun at the site, and it appears the PA planned to relocate residents to this location imminently.
This represents a highly controversial move, to put it mildly. The last time such camps were established was during the 1948 War of Independence, when refugee camps were created for Arabs who left cities within the Green Line. These camps evolved into havens for terrorism, crime, and poverty, despite the fact that most original residents died long ago, and there are no longer actual refugees present. Through dense construction patterns, Palestinians transformed these camps into terrorist strongholds that Palestinian security agencies feared to enter, and which the IDF avoided due to the understanding that significant firepower would be required to counter terrorist activities.
Israel's security establishment, upon discovering the PA's initiative, responded with severe warnings. The rationale behind evacuating the existing refugee camps and the operations currently taking place within them is to prevent residents from utilizing the infrastructure to transform these areas into terrorist hubs. Creating a displaced persons camp, as the PA planned, would have established a massive terrorist center and concentrated all terrorist forces from northern Samaria into a single compound. Such a development would have effectively created the very danger that the security establishment has been working to prevent for many months.
The message transmitted to the Palestinian Authority was unambiguous – Israel would not agree under any circumstances to the establishment of a new camp. If construction proceeded, Israel would take action to demolish it, even if that necessitated the use of force.
In the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur al-Shams camps, the security establishment continues operations to create a new order that will optimally prevent terrorism. Two battalions currently operate in these areas in the format of platoon and company outposts, along with additional forces in the field. The operation is already yielding clear results: unlike the early war period, when forces had to deploy aircraft to eliminate terrorists due to dangers facing ground troops, such tools have not been necessary for many months.
In recent days, the IDF initiated a new phase of operations in the Nur al-Shams and Tulkarem camps, demolishing approximately 100 buildings to create efficient transportation routes that will allow security forces to reach any location quickly and effectively.
Israel Hayom has learned that 2.5 miles of roads have already been paved inside the Jenin camp, while 0.62 miles of road have been constructed in the Tulkarem and Nur al-Shams camps. Work is now proceeding to create additional routes following building clearance operations.
The impact of these new transportation corridors is dramatic. These camps are small and densely populated, and creating roads within them transforms them from fortified complexes into relatively accessible neighborhoods that security forces can navigate efficiently. In essence, the security establishment is reconstructing these camps in an unprecedented manner, ensuring that even after withdrawing from these areas, they can rapidly return and maintain operational freedom.
The PA's attempted move seems perplexing, partly because dismantling these camps clearly serves their interests. For many years, the Palestinian Authority has attempted to eliminate terrorists, whom they regard as criminals. Prior to Operation "Iron Wall," terrorists conducted large-scale operations in the Jenin camp, but Palestinian security forces feared entering deep into these territories.
