Israel said it’s withdrawn more than 1,000 troops from the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin, after sending them in to fight what it called an Iran-funded terrorist network.
The 44-hour raid, which included missile-laden drones and was the biggest air attack on the occupied West Bank in two decades, killed 12 Palestinians, some of them known militants. An Israeli soldier was shot dead during the overnight withdrawal, the army said on Wednesday.
Five rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip as the troops were leaving and were intercepted over southern Israel by the Iron Dome anti-missile system. Israel then struck Gaza, hitting what it described as an underground weapons-manufacturing facility belonging to Hamas, which rules Gaza and is allied with Iran.
“Over the past two years, Jenin has become a ‘production site’ for terrorism,” said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. “As a result of our activities over the past two days, this has come to an end. We have intercepted weapon production lines and confiscated thousands of explosive devices.”
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing dissent over his plans to weaken the Supreme Court, his domestic political opponents had little objection to the West Bank operation. Most said it was necessary to end dozens of attacks the military says emanated from Jenin.
Markets were also unmoved, with shekel and bond traders more concerned about the push to overhaul the judiciary.
On Monday, a parliamentary committee voted to move to the floor a proposed law that would stop judges from being able to reject government actions as “unreasonable.” The protest movement that has shaken the country for six months is stepping up its rallies.
For the 17,000 residents of the refugee camp — descendants of Palestinians displaced in the 1948 war that led to Israel’s creation — the assault was painful, driving several thousand from their homes and leaving others without water or electricity amid ripped up roads piled with rubble.
Unlike Gaza, the West Bank is officially overseen by the Palestinian Authority which has historically worked alongside the Israeli military to keep Hamas and other Islamist militant groups at bay on the understanding that it would one day lead an independent state.
But with Israeli settlements in the West Bank growing and peace talks moribund, relations are getting more strained, especially since Netanyahu’s right-wing government, which opposes Palestinian independence, was formed late last year. The Authority is weak and polls show many Palestinians view its leadership with contempt.
This has led to the growth of rogue militias, especially in the northern West Bank around Jenin and Nablus. Smuggled arms from Jordan have meant that Israeli commando raids that used to happen with little resistance are now met with plenty of firepower.
Netanyahu made clear on Tuesday night as the withdrawal was starting that Israel wasn’t pulling out for good.
“We will continue as long as necessary to stamp out terrorism,” he said on a visit to a checkpoint near Jenin.
He also warned against other attacks on Israelis. On Tuesday afternoon, a Palestinian from the West Bank rammed a pickup truck into a small crowd waiting at a bus stop in Tel Aviv. He got out and stabbed others before being shot dead by a bystander. Seven were injured in the incident, which Hamas said was revenge for the Jenin raid.
