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Earlier in the day, a diplomatic delegation entered Jenin as part of a pre-arranged coordination. As part of the procedure, the delegation was provided with a specific route they were instructed to follow due to the area's designation as an active combat zone.

Video: Unusual Incident in Jenin

Despite the prior coordination, the delegation veered off the agreed-upon path and entered a restricted area.

An IDF unit stationed at the location, aware that no diplomatic mission was supposed to be present in its vicinity, suspected the unidentified individuals to be a threat and fired warning shots into the air to drive them away. Shortly thereafter, it became clear that the individuals were in fact part of the diplomatic delegation. No injuries were reported.

Following the incident, the commander of the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division conducted an immediate investigation and called for diplomatic outreach to clarify the circumstances internationally. Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim also initiated contact with all the relevant diplomatic representatives.

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The IDF announced that security forces are expanding their counterterrorism operation in northern Samaria. Nahal Brigade forces and the Duvdevan Unit have begun operating in additional villages in the Jenin area, which falls under the Menashe Brigade's jurisdiction. Simultaneously, a tank platoon will be deployed in Jenin as part of the offensive effort. Forces continue to operate in Jenin and Tulkarem as part of the ongoing operation.

In early February, Israel Hayom reported that dramatic steps were being taken regarding intelligence operations and target identification in the West Bank. The IDF is effectively rebuilding its combat doctrine in Judea and Samaria, preparing for scenarios similar to those of October 7, while also carrying out offensive operations. In essence, the IDF aims to apply combat models used in other theaters to Judea and Samaria as well.

In essence, IDF Commanders recognize the need to maintain a sustained presence on the ground and operate from within cities and villages, rather than relying solely on the raid-based tactics previously used. Additionally, the IDF is preparing, from an intelligence standpoint, for the possibility of a larger-scale maneuver than in the past. This includes the integration of additional regular forces beyond the territorial brigades, a strategy implemented in recent weeks and expected to be repeated as the campaign continues, according to IDF officials

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About an hour's drive north is the more significant hotspot. The Jenin Refugee Camp is an extreme slum in the heart of a beautiful city that, until the war, was an attractive destination for Palestinian and Israeli Arab students. Not far from where the American University is located, battles have been raging for nearly two years between a battalion of terrorists and security forces. In the past two months, both the Palestinian Authority and IDF forces have managed to carry out an exceptionally large-scale operation against the terrorists.

Operation Iron Wall is an opportunity to go back to basics and ask the obvious question – why has the northern Samaria region become a war zone, which, if not for the battles in Gaza and Lebanon, would have been considered the biggest hotbed of terrorism in the past year, and how did Jenin become a symbol of terror, even more so than Khan Yunis or Rafah?

A few months ago, I found myself in the heart of Jenin. It was immediately after Operation Summer Camps, led by the ID,F and before the Palestinian Authority's operation. In the square leading into the Jenin Refugee Camp, the epicenter of terrorist activity, stood pictures of terrorists eliminated by the IDF. This was not an unusual sight in a city that has become a symbol of terror in Judea and Samaria, and in one of the squares leading to the city, huge pictures of the two terrorists who murdered seven Israelis in an attack on the light rail in Tel Aviv a few weeks earlier were displayed. Welcome to the city of martyrs.

To understand what made Jenin such a terrorist hotbed, we need to go back 23 years to Operation Defensive Shield. These were the days of the Second Intifada, which claimed the lives of a thousand Israelis in severe suicide attacks. A suicide bomber entered the Park Hotel in Netanya during the Passover Seder celebration and blew himself up, killing 30 Israelis, including a father and daughter, several married couples, and 11 Holocaust survivors. Until October 7, this was the deadliest attack in the history of the State of Israel.

Following the attack, which was the peak of bloody months where there was almost a daily suicide bombing, the IDF launched Operation Defensive Shield. The toughest battle took place in the Jenin Refuge eCamp, where the terrorists were well-prepared, booby-trapped the place, and set up ambushes. The terrorists understood well that because there was a civilian population in the area, the IDF would not use artillery or air bombardment.

IDF forces conducted house-to-house combat with the support of combat helicopters, tanks, and armored bulldozers. The most brutal battle in Operation Defensive Shield took place in the refugee camp when a large force encountered an ambush of terrorists in a courtyard known as the "Bathtub," with 13 soldiers killed, and three bodies were taken by the terrorists, hidden, and then extracted by a force from the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit. In total, 23 Israeli soldiers were killed in the battles in Jenin, and between 52 and 56 Palestinians, most of them armed terrorists. Over the years, Palestinians claimed that a massacre took place there, but these claims were refuted. During the operation, which lasted ten days, many houses were destroyed as part of the battles.

In Jenin, unlike most of Judea and Samaria, they still remember those battles to this day and have turned them into a real ethos. The Jenin refugee camp is a severe slum that encourages violence and terror. The slums of the garden and commercial city nearby, a favela rife with bullying and unemployed young people highly incited against Israel, live on the myth of what happened during Operation Defensive Shield and the supposed "heroism" of the previous generation in the Second Intifada who fought against IDF forces, fueled by a history full of violence and hatred towards Jews.

In recent years, and even more so since October 7, these camp residents have become a real battalion. Unlike Hebron, Ramallah, or even Gaza, the terror forces unite as locals and not according to organizational affiliation such as Hamas or Islamic Jihad. They call themselves the Jenin Battalion, and they prove, at least for now, determination and willingness to harm Israelis despite IDF activity.

This is the second-largest refugee camp in the West Bank, after Balata in Nablus, and it was established in 1953. Exactly how many residents live there is unknown, but it could range anywhere between 11,000 and 16,000 people living in crowded and poor conditions. "Ibn al-Mukhayam," the young people call themselves - "sons of the camp." "The young generation does not recognize the Palestinian security forces or local leadership," say security sources.

The refugee camp established in 1953 strengthens and nurtures radical forces in the city over the years. Alongside the "heroes" of Operation Defensive Shield, they praise the native of the area, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, after whom Hamas' military wing is named, and Sheikh Abdullah Azzam, the spiritual teacher of Usama bin Laden, who was born in the Jenin area and was eliminated by the Soviets in Pakistan.

In recent years, and even more so since October 7, these camp residents have become a real battalion. Unlike Hebron, Ramallah, or even Gaza, the terror forces unite as locals and not according to organizational affiliation such as Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They call themselves the Jenin Battalion, and they prove, at least for now, determination and willingness to harm Israelis despite IDF activity.

This is also the reason for Operation Iron Wall, which began in January and seems, on the face of it, to be a reality-changing operation. Last week, the IDF admitted for the first time the existence of the Jenin Battalion because only then could they declare that the goal is to eliminate it. The forces carried out exceptional military maneuvers, going house to house, searching for ammunition, and opening routes in the heart of the dense favela by demolishing houses to reach every place.

The operation extended to Tulkarm as well. The terror battalions in the city are a direct result of the Jenin refugee camp. For years, they saw their friends in Jenin as role models. They equipped themselves with weapons and explosives, which they planted under roads, waiting for IDF forces to arrive. Over the years, Tulkarm has become somewhat more dangerous than those in Jenin, partly because the city is in very close proximity to central Israel.

The IDF is now determined to regain control of the area, which until 2005 had a few isolated Israeli settlements and is now, to some extent, a large terror state. The Palestinian Authority shares this interest, wanting to establish governance in the area. The latter's concern is that they will completely lose control over the entire Judea and Samaria area, as Assad lost control in Syria, while the former's desire is to eradicate terror and bring it back to dimensions that can be handled with a jeep or two, instead of a brigade or more.

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Recent events have triggered a major policy shift in Israel's approach to the West Bank, Israel Hayom has learned. Previously designated as a "secondary arena" requiring stable maintenance since the war's onset, recent attacks have convinced top officials that this stance is no longer tenable. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) now operate under a new paradigm, viewing the West Bank as the second most critical front, immediately after Gaza.

While this directive is still in its initial stages, with substantial changes on the ground expected to take time, a series of operations across the West Bank are imminent. "The Jenin operation is just the beginning," security officials emphasize.

In late August, Operation "Summer Camps" in the northern West Bank was launched, the IDF's most extensive operation since Defensive Shield in 2002. Two brigade combat teams are currently deployed in the Jenin refugee camp and Tulkarem, with the operation set to continue in the foreseeable future. The recent spate of severe attacks, including the double attack in Gush Etzion, the incident in Tarkumiya, and the thwarted attack in Ateret, underscores the need for comprehensive action across the entire sector. In a mere 48 hours, the West Bank transformed from a powder keg to a region on the brink of explosion.

The security establishment faces a particular dilemma in the Hebron area, the origin of two significant recent attacks. While there's unanimous agreement on the need to dismantle Hamas in the West Bank, officials are wary of causing unintended consequences.

Palestinian security mechanisms, driven by self-interest rather than goodwill towards Israel, have been cooperating substantially with Israeli forces, including during Sunday's attack. A heavy-handed operation risks triggering a broader escalation, which Israel seeks to avoid. However, there's a growing consensus that aggressive action against the severe terrorism emanating from the city is necessary. As a result, we may see large-scale, intelligence-driven operations, coupled with encirclements around the city, a strategy already in play.

Meanwhile, local authorities in the West Bank are calling for more decisive action, a sentiment echoed by Minister of Settlement Affairs Orit Strock. She has urged the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet to implement emergency measures, including declaring a state of war in the West Bank. Strock pointed to a recent incident: "Two weeks ago, five Hamas leaders in Hebron were released from detention. These individuals were arrested at the war's outset as part of efforts to prevent an outbreak in the West Bank. Merely two weeks after their release, a double bomb attack was carried out in Gush Etzion, with the perpetrators originating from Hebron. We narrowly averted a catastrophe."

"The war's outbreak triggered a wave of arrests targeting key terrorist operatives in the sector," Strock added. "Their release is part of a series of releases that have occurred or are slated to occur soon, due to legal hurdles and a shortage of detention facilities. Neither of these reasons can justify the looming bloodshed."

The IDF aims to reach October, the month of major Jewish holidays, with a calmer West Bank than the current mini-uprising unfolding on the ground. While a full-scale war across extensive areas is unlikely, Operation "Summer Camps" is expected to expand to other West Bank regions soon. The security establishment also advocates for the arrest of inciting elements throughout the West Bank, a measure also demanded by the Minister of Settlement.

The shift in approach is palpable on the ground. A year ago, discussions centered on maintaining the fabric of daily life; now, the focus has shifted to the level of aggressive action required. Security officials recommend launching extensive operations, emphasizing the confiscation of terror funds throughout the area, not just in the northern West Bank, and dismantling Hamas as a primary objective. One security source described it as "not just mowing the lawn, but uprooting the problem at its source."

Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza, is reportedly attempting to inflame the situation, presumably operating under the assumption that the hostage deal is on the verge of collapse. His strategy appears to be escalating tensions in the West Bank to divert attention from Gaza. Iran is also implicated, allegedly funneling millions of shekels into the West Bank. With Palestinian workers unable to enter Israel for employment, terror funding has become a significant source of available money in the Palestinian Authority, further fueling the unrest.

A recent targeted operation was conducted to seize terror funds. The security establishment is advocating for similar determined operations throughout the area. Senior security officials have repeatedly recommended expanding this focus beyond just the northern West Bank. Some security experts posit that the recent attacks are a consequence of intense activity in the northern West Bank and may subside in the future. Others view these actions as the very explosion the IDF has been striving to prevent, indicating a trajectory towards further escalation.

The prevailing assumption is that a major attack could be imminent. While last week's incident occurred in Gush Etzion, security officials warn that future attacks could target Jerusalem, Beersheba, or Tel Aviv.

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Israeli troops on Sunday killed three Palestinian terrorists in the northern West Bank who were on the verge o f carrying out an attack in Israel.

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The IDF said it shot the three men near the Jenin refugee camp – the site of a large-scale military operation last month. It said the three men had just exited the camp and were on their way to carry out an attack and that an M-16 rifle was recovered from their vehicle.

The Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups condemned the killings, though it was not immediately known if the three men belonged to either organization. Israel identified the leader of the group as Naif Abu Tsuik, 26, saying he was a "leading military operative" from the camp.

The Jenin camp is known as a terrorist stronghold. Last month, the army carried out a two-day offensive in the camp, killing many terrorists and causing widespread damage to the densely populated area. An Israeli soldier also was killed in the fighting.

Video: The IDF's successful elimination of a terrorist cell near Jenin / Arab social media

But the offensive appears to have done little to halt a broader wave of violence that began in early 2022.

On Saturday, a Palestinian terrorist shot and killed an Israeli security guard in central Tel Aviv before another guard shot and killed the attacker. Two Israeli settlers have been arrested in the Friday night shooting of 19-year-old Qusai Matan in the village of Burqa.

The army said the Israeli settlers arrived in the area to herd sheep, leading to clashes between Israelis and Palestinians from the village. Israeli media reported that one of the suspects in the incident, Elisha Yered, was a former aide to an ultranationalist lawmaker in the Otzma Yehudit, one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's key coalition partners.

Israel Hayom, pundit Yoav Limor wrote that there are "armed Jewish militias that are operating like terrorist groups in Samaria." He added, "If the state of Israel doesn't come to its senses and stop them immediately, the damage they will do is far more dangerous than any terror attack of the enemy."

Leading politicians in the government lashed out at the criticism. "The Israeli media (again) got confused: A Jew who defends himself and others against the murder of Palestinians, is not a murder suspect, but a hero who will receive my full support," tweeted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a settler leader who leads Otzma Yehuda.

"We see there is confusion as to who is an enemy," said Limor Son Har-Melech, a member of Ben-Gvir's party, whose former spokesman was one of the arrested suspects. Tally Gotliv, a member of Netanyahu's Likud Party, said a "leftist agenda" and "deep state" have infiltrated the Shin Bet.

Early on Sunday, the Israeli military said troops measured the home of the Palestinian attacker in Saturday's Tel Aviv killing to prepare for its demolition in the village of Rumana, near Jenin.

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The fact that Palestinian terrorist Kamel Abu Bakr, who murdered Israeli father of three Chen Amir on Saturday evening, came from Jenin should surprise no one, despite the recent anti-terrorism campaign in the West Bank city, which the IDF said was successful.

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During the operation, the vast majority of the terrorists hid underground and did not confront the Israeli security forces. Abu Bakr likely did the same, which allowed him to evade arrest and eventually arrive armed in the heart of Tel Aviv, the soft underbelly of Israel.

Video: Footage of the Tel Aviv shooter being neutralized

As expected, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the attack and the attacker and said that Tel Aviv was their main target. They cited the al-Aqsa mosque as the reason for the shooting rather than the death of a 19-year-old Palestinian in clashes with settlers on Friday.

Shortly after the clashes, the IDF expressed concern about further violence in Judea and Samaria following the settler violence, saying it was the main reason that prompts Palestinians uninvolved in terror to perpetrate an attack.

The Tel Aviv shooting, however, is not such a case as Abu Bark was a wanted person affiliated with a terrorist organization.

But the two incidents indicate that the atmosphere is likely to be sensitive in the near days. "Successful" attacks in the heart of Tel Aviv are known to inspire further such attacks.

From a security point of view, Israel will have to take significant steps to minimize danger and create a strong deterrent to protect the lives of civilians within and beyond the Green Line.

However, the political climate is such that even if the government's considerations are purely security-related, it will be suspected of ulterior motives. Such as with the Jenin anti-terrorism campaign itself, when political and security officials were accused of seeking to disrupt protests against the judicial reform.

The entire security system, especially the Shin Bet security agency, is now required to split its attention and efforts, both with the aim of thwarting Palestinian terrorism as well as preventing violence by settlers that only exacerbates the situation.

This is a complex and complicated challenge, especially against the background of the political chaos in Israel.
The bottom line is that in view of the challenging security situation in the Palestinian arena – not to mention the tumultuous northern border – Israel cannot afford to continue the infighting.

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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited the West Bank city of Jenin Wednesday, for the first time since 2005, following the recent Israeli campaign that devastated the local terrorism infrastructure.

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The visit, which lasted just over an hour, came at a time of seething discontent among Palestinians in the West Bank toward Abbas and the PA. The 87-year-old president is widely seen as out of touch with the public and rarely ventures outside of his Ramallah headquarters.

Video: Security preparations in Jenin ahead of Abbas' arrival (Credit: Arab media)

Abbas arrived in Jenin aboard a Jordanian helicopter on Wednesday afternoon. Thousands clustered around his heavy security detail, and children chased his motorcade as it moved along the streets.

"Jenin camp is the icon of struggle, steadfastness and challenge," said Abbas. He pledged the reconstruction of the camp would begin immediately. "I say to everyone near and far, this country is safe and its authority will remain one... we must get rid of the occupation and we say to them: leave us, we are here to stay."

Abbas's leadership has come under criticism over rampant corruption in the PA and the lack of any progress toward independence. Just 17% of Palestinians are satisfied with Abbas' leadership and 80% want him to resign, according to a Palestinian public opinion poll in June.

US President Joe Biden said in an interview with CNN this week that "the Palestinian Authority has lost its credibility" among Palestinians and has "created a vacuum for extremism" in the West Bank.

Abbas's visit came after a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office that his government would take steps to strengthen the PA, but gave no specifics about what steps it would take.

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Rocket shrapnel and fragments were found Sunday in a cemetery near Ram-On, north of Jenin, according to the IDF.

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The military said in a statement that the rocket, which contained no explosives, is believed to be from an "old improvised rocket."

Video: Did the rocket originate from Jenin? Credit: Arab media

"Remnants of an improvised rocket were found earlier today by a security man in the settlement of Ram On. After the security forces' sappers inspected the findings, it was found to be an old improvised rocket. No explosives were found in the remains," the statement said.

Rocket remnants were discovered by security personnel in the town of Ram On earlier today. After examining the findings by security forces experts, it was determined that it was an old rocket. No explosive material was found in the rocket remnants.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 9, 2023

The discovery of the shrapnel comes following multiple videos in Palestinian media showing improvised and home-made rocket launches from Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

Improvised rockets were also found by the IDF during their two-day operation in Jenin, where the army found a large cache of weapons being hidden by Palestinian terror groups.

Israeli towns on the border of the Gaza Strip have long lived under the threat of rockets. The prospect of rockets launched against Israeli towns from West Bank terrorists represents a threatening escalation for Israel's security establishment.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan called on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to retract his condemnation of Israel's latest anti-terrorism campaign in the West Bank city of Jenin.

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UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said the secretary-general conveyed his views on Thursday "and he stands by those views."

Video: Ambassador Erdan speaking at the UN, Israel delegation to UN spokesperson office

Guterres said the operation left over 100 civilians injured, uprooted thousands of residents, damaged schools and hospitals, and disrupted water and electricity networks.

The two-day operation cracked down on Palestinian terrorists, during which one IDF soldier was also killed.

"I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror," Guterres told reporters.

Asked whether this condemnation applied to Israel, he replied: "It applies to all use of excessive force, and obviously in this situation, there was an excessive force used by Israeli forces."

Erdan called the UN chief's remarks "shameful, far-fetched, and completely detached from reality." He said the Israeli military action in Jenin "focused solely on combating the murderous Palestinian terror targeting innocent Israeli civilians."

Haq, the UN spokesperson, said Guterres "clearly condemns all of the violence that has been affecting the civilians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, regardless of who is the perpetrator."

Erdan sent a letter to the 15 council members and Guterres before the council meeting saying that over the past year, 52 Israelis were killed by Palestinians, and many attacks were carried out from Jenin or from the area.

"The international community and the Security Council must unconditionally condemn the latest Palestinian terror attacks and hold Palestinian leadership accountable," he said.

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