On Wednesday dawn, the Israeli army initiated extensive raids across cities, towns, and camps in the occupied West Bank, concurrent with the ongoing aggression on Gaza. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned of "an imminent explosion" due to this Israeli escalation.
The Israeli raids targeted the cities of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nablus in the northern West Bank, as well as the Ain Sultan camp near Jericho, Ramallah, and Al-Bireh in the center, along with towns in Bethlehem and Hebron governorates in the southern part of the West Bank.
In Nablus, the Israeli army commenced a military operation, entering the city from multiple directions and positioning snipers on building rooftops.
According to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), Israeli special forces stormed the Haddadin market in the old town, surrounded a house, and arrested Palestinian Nasr Marbouqa from within the town.
WAFA also mentioned that the occupation forces raided several homes and offices, destroying their contents. Among the known locations were the Martyr Wadi al-Houh café and the Fatah organization office in the old town's western area on al-Nasr Street. Additionally, sounds of explosions and intermittent clashes were reported in various parts of the city.
The Israeli army also carried out an eight-hour military operation and clashes in Jenin city and camp early Wednesday, accompanied by explosions.
Military bulldozers began uprooting several streets in Jenin camp, destroyed properties, and the army breached Palestinian homes for searches, property destruction, and on-the-spot interrogations with dozens of citizens. Similarly, the city of Tulkarem witnessed comparable invasions, and the occupying forces detained a Palestinian after storming his family home in the northern West Bank.
In Bethlehem, the occupation forces arrested five Palestinians from various areas in the southern West Bank.
WAFA reported that occupation forces invaded the town of al-Ubeidiya east of Bethlehem, raided homes, tampered with their contents, arrested a Palestinian, and seized his vehicle.
In Ramallah, the occupation forces detained four Palestinians while raiding and ransacking the houses of several citizens, taking possession of some of their belongings and vehicles.
Dissecting the West Bank
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a report released Tuesday evening that Israel is "dissecting" the occupied West Bank, gradually annexing it through "the power of occupation," impeding Palestinians' movement with checkpoints and metal gates, and solidifying "one of the most heinous forms of apartheid."
The ministry also highlighted that occupation authorities are imposing more collective punishments on West Bank citizens, crippling their ability to move, travel, and live, by dividing the territory and converting it to isolated cantons.
Furthermore, the ministry spoke about the increase in "death checkpoints, metal gates, military towers, and closures," leading to heightened suffering for Palestinians forced to endure long hours at checkpoints, including whole families with women, children, elderly, and sick individuals.
Palestinians also face "humiliating and inhuman practices" at military checkpoints as part of Israel's deliberate enforcement of the ugliest forms of apartheid and colonial annexation of the West Bank using occupation forces, according to the statement.
The ministry pointed to "a complete Israeli invasion of West Bank areas and a renewed occupation, attempting to replicate the destruction Israel commits in Gaza on the West Bank, particularly its camps."
The Israeli government bears "full and direct responsibility for the consequences of this dangerous escalation (in the West Bank)," the ministry warned, cautioning against Israel's deliberate push towards "an imminent explosion" in the territory.
The ministry also warned about the outcomes of the violations and crimes committed by the occupation forces and settler militias against Palestinian citizens in the West Bank.
The Israeli incursions resulted in the death of 341 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th.
Record Numbers
In 2023, 25 Palestinian Bedouin communities, consisting of 1,517 individuals, were displaced, according to data from the Wall Resistance and Settlement Resistance Authority (governmental).
The number of Israeli military checkpoints in the West Bank has reached 707, with 140 new barriers and obstacles erected following the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip on the 7th of October, as per the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) data.
Acts of violence committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have reached a record high in 2023.
Since the start of the aggression on Gaza last October, the occupation has intensified its military operations in the West Bank, increasing the frequency of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 341 Palestinians and injuring about 3,950 and arresting 5,755, according to official sources.
