Palestinians defiant amid damage after Israel ends Jenin raid
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Palestinians walk through a damaged road following an Israeli operation in Jenin.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
JENIN, West Bank - Palestinians returned to the scarred streets of Jenin on Wednesday after Israel ended an unusually intense 48-hour raid on a refugee camp in the West Bank.
Some people were preparing heroes’ funerals for the dead, while others set about repairing the 75-year-old refugee camp.
Paving had been churned up by armoured bulldozers, resulting in a burst water pipe and sodden gullies of rubble that residents – many of whom had holed up at home or evacuated as a precaution – traversed with a grim and businesslike gait.
After months of spiralling skirmishes with Jenin’s gunmen, Israel on Monday swamped the city’s refugee camp
Mr Mutasem Estatia, a father of six, speaking after what he described as two nights being kept away – one of them in Israeli detention – said: “They did not get what they wanted, thank God. The youths are fine, the families are fine and the camp is fine.”
Twelve Palestinian men or male teenagers were killed, five of them confirmed fighters from the Hamas or Islamic Jihad factions. Scores of Palestinians were wounded.
The army – which lost a soldier in the clashes – said it killed combatants only.
Israeli forces also detained around 150 suspected militants, and destroyed caches of guns and roadside mines – including an arsenal under a mosque – and a command centre, the army said.
“There are 12 martyrs and we are proud of them, but we expected more damage, given the raid’s scale,” Mr Estatia said.
Israel appeared poised to return to Jenin and other areas of the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians seek statehood.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to Channel 14 TV on Monday, said: “I’ve made clear that this broad action in Jenin is not a one-off.
“It will be the beginning of regular incursions and continuous control of the territory, and that’s why there’ll be no safe haven for terrorism.”
As the troops withdrew overnight, Israel reported a volley of rockets from the Gaza Strip, another Palestinian territory. The rockets were shot down, and the Israeli air force struck targets in Gaza belonging to the ruling Hamas but with no casualties.
In a further sign of violence spilling over from Jenin, a Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians in Tel Aviv on Monday and went on a stabbing spree, wounding eight people before he was shot dead. Hamas claimed him as a member.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement: “We say to the enemy: The time when you could practise your aggression against our people without paying the price has passed. Today, Jenin is teaching you a lesson in resistance and steadfastness.”
The tenement-like camp houses refugees from the 1948 war of Israel’s founding.
Poverty, frustrated peace diplomacy and political drift have stoked support for Iranian-backed groups like Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which preach Israel’s destruction. REUTERS
Singaporeans in Israel urged to be on high alert
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) expressed its concerns about the recent escalation of violence in Israel and the West Bank.
“We are saddened by the loss of civilian lives and urge all parties to de-escalate tensions and take the necessary steps to prevent further civilian casualties,” said an MFA spokesman on Wednesday. “We also condemn all acts of terror, which cannot be justified.”
While no Singaporeans have been affected by the attacks, the MFA urged Singaporeans in Israel to be on high alert and monitor the news closely.
They should follow instructions from the local authorities and take necessary precautions for their personal safety.
Singaporeans travelling to Israel are strongly encouraged to e-register with the MFA at eregister.mfa.gov.sg
Singaporeans who require consular assistance may also contact the Singapore Embassy in Tel Aviv or the 24-hour MFA Duty Office on:
Telephone: +972 3 7289334
Fax: +972 3 7289340
