Israel is using tanks in the West Bank for the first time in 20 years

Israel is using tanks in the West Bank for the first time in 20 years

The situation in West Bank

The West Bank, an area west of the Jordan river between Israel and Jordan, has been occupied by Israel since 1967. More than 3.3 million Palestinians live there. Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including the old town with its religious sights, after a short war in 1967 by Jordan. Many Israelis believe that Jews have a biblical right to this country that they call Judea and Samaria.

Since this line -up, about half a million Jewish Israelis have been settled in settlements in West Bank. According to international law, these settlements are considered illegal, which is why they are tolerated and even promoted by the Israeli government. In the 1990s, Israel and Palestinian groups began a peace process, known as the Oslo Agreement, which a Palestinian government, the Palestinian Authority, introduced, which should be responsible for parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The escalation since October 7th

The tensions between Palestinians and the Israeli government in West Bank are not new. Israel has regularly intervened in Palestinian communities for many years to combat alleged militant Palestinians. The attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023 led to a significant intensification of these military actions.

The Israeli military tightened its restrictions for Palestinians by setting up new control points and restricting the transition from the West Bank to Israel. In addition, there was an increase in attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinians, in which dozens were killed. In August, Israel started a large military offensive in northern West Bank called "Operation Summer Camp", in which armored vehicles were sent to the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem.

Current military operations

Israel continued his military operations in the West Bank in January with an aggressive offensive in the Jenin refugee camp, called "Operation Iron Wall". The Israeli government claims that this operation is necessary to combat Iranian -supported militants. Defense Minister Katz said that the tactics used in Gaza should now also be used in West Bank.

According to the United Nations, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been sold from their houses in West Bank since October 7. Since then, more than 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 184 children, have been killed in the occupied areas. Jenin's mayor reported at least 120 demolished residential buildings and hundreds of million dollars of destruction. The military actions are perceived by many as part of a political agenda of the right -wing Israeli government.

The role of Donald Trump

The role of Donald Trump in this context cannot be ignored. According to some in Israel, his election victory aroused hope that the government could expand the complete Israeli sovereignty over the settlements in West Bank. Trump recently mentioned that many people support the idea of annexation, but has not yet been taken on an official position.

Development of events on weekends

The invasion of the Jenin refugee camp already represented a significant escalation, but on the weekend it became clear that the conflict had no end in sight. Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the missions of the troops and announced the use of tank associations in West Bank - the first time since 2002.

While Trump and Israeli extremists forge plans to displace the population in the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Katz announced that the tens of thousands of Palestinians, who had left their homes in West Bank in the past few weeks, should not return. The International Red Cross Society (ICRC) was concerned about the situation of the civilian population and the urgent needs for humanitarian aid, including clean water, food, accommodation and medical care.