Key Developments (July 11 – 13)
- On Tuesday, at around midnight, July 11, undercover Israeli special operatives infiltrated Nablus city and forcibly took over a residential building in preparation for a military invasion. According to local journalists, the Israeli District Coordination Offices had informed the Palestinian security coordination offices in the area that they were invading from the east entrance to Nablus city, but instead invaded from the northern entrance of the city. By 1:00 a.m., Israeli military forces had invaded and called for reinforcements. The invasion by Israeli military forces ended in the detention of one Palestinian, 42-year-old Sa’ed al-Masri and a former political prisoner. According to a filmed testimony of Masri’s teenage daughter, Israeli soldiers beat the 42-year-old in front of his children after confiscating all phones within the household. During the raid, Israeli forces also attacked a Palestinian ambulance and destroyed the front shield, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
- On Wednesday afternoon, July 12, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made a field visit to Jenin refugee camp, accompanied by Palestinian heads of security and the Palestinian Prime Minister. The visit marked Abbas’s first time in the city and refugee camp in more than 11 years. Abbas arrived via Jordanian military helicopter to the city, and was accompanied by thousands of members of his Presidential Guard and the Palestinian Security Forces. Flanked by high-ranking PA security and intelligence officials, along with leaders in the Fatah movement, Abbas addressed crowds near the entrance of the camp, which last week was the site of a deadly Israeli army invasion that killed 12 Palestinians. In his speech, Abbas pledged to rebuild the camp, calling it “heroic” and an “icon of struggle.” The visit was widely regarded as the beginning of an effort by the largely unpopular leader and his government to reestablish a foothold in Jenin, where armed Palestinian resistance groups have maintained their stronghold for the past year and a half. Journalists on the ground reported that residents were left feeling disappointed, as Abbas did not walk through the streets in the heart of the camp, and nor did he meet with grieving families.
- Israeli forces continued to invade Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. On Wednesday morning, July 12, Israeli forces invaded Aqbat Jabr refugee camp south of Jericho and arrested three youths. According to the Palestinian Committee for Political Detainees, the three detainees were Ameer Humeidat, Ihab Humeidat, and Yazan Humeidat — relatives all. According to testimonies from local activists in Jericho, Israeli forces used children from the refugee camp as human shields during their invasion. This is not the first time Israeli forces have used human shields during their military invasions of Palestinian cities and villages over the past two years — according to Monodweiss’s on-the-ground reporting last year, when Israel conducted the largest and most lethal invasion of Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in 22 years, killing five Palestinians youths, Israeli soldiers also used children as human shields. This week’s invasion of Jericho is the third large-scale offensive against the city in under a year, and comes less than a week after the offensive on Jenin refugee camp.
- Also on Wednesday, July 12, groups of armed Israeli settlers in civilian and military clothing invaded the town of Kufr el-Deek near Ramallah just before midnight and began bulldozing Palestinian lands. Palestinian townspeople appealed for help and urgent intervention amid the bulldozing through mosque speakers.
- On Thursday, July 13, before dawn, Israeli forces conducted multiple raids across the West Bank and Jerusalem, detaining at least 15 Palestinians. In Ramallah, Israeli forces raided the city’s industrial zone of Betunia, the university town of Birzeit, and the city center near the neighborhood of Batn al-Hawa. In addition, at least two other Palestinian villages in Ramallah were raided by the Israeli military, and at least 6 Palestinians were arrested. Activists on the ground reported excessive use of force by Israeli forces and confrontation by local youth against the Israeli army with stones, and in some areas, Molotov cocktails. Israeli forces also conducted raids in the Bethlehem, Hebron, and Tubas areas, as well as in Jerusalem.
Mondoweiss highlights
The Jenin operation didn’t end. Phase Two has already begun., by Mondoweiss Palestine Bureau
Unpacking Israel’s attack on the Jenin refugee camp, a podcast discussion with Dave Reed and the Mondoweiss Palestine Bureau
Important figures
- At least 50 Palestinians were arrested between Tuesday and Thursday, including minors.
- At least 190 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of the year. 26 Israelis have been killed during the same time period.
- Israeli forces have conducted at least 1,800 search and arrest raids in the West Bank this year.
