Christmas day within the occupied West Financial institution started with an assault on the Jenin refugee camp and several other arrests.
The raid on Monday morning adopted a number of others throughout the territory, which noticed dozens of arrests and the taking pictures within the neck of a 17-year-old boy. Amongst cities hit was Bethlehem.
Jenin, generally considered as an emblem of Palestinian resistance to occupation, has been repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces since its warfare with Hamas in Gaza started on October 7.
On Monday, the Jenin-based Freedom Theatre, a well-liked image of peace and hope that was lately raided and vandalised by Israeli troopers, described how Israeli forces lit up the sky “with flare bombs” while raiding the camp.
Christmas Day begins with one other assault on Jenin Refugee Camp, because the Israeli military lights up the sky with Flare bombs.
25.12.23#Mayday Created by @freedom_theatre & @artistfrontline #Jenin #JeninUnderAttack #Palestine #Theatre #جنين pic.twitter.com/u44NnedJUg
— The Freedom Theatre (@freedom_theatre) December 25, 2023
Reporting from the Jenin refugee camp, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan mentioned that the Israeli military raided not less than 10 homes saying they have been on the lookout for Palestinians to arrest. Nevertheless, no detentions have been made.
“Israeli forces did name for Palestinian fighters to come back out and provides themselves up however that didn’t occur both. Residents are telling us that that is merely a marketing campaign of harassment,” Khan mentioned.
“Jenin refugee camp is now essentially the most raided camp within the occupied West Financial institution. The Israeli forces are destroying any image of resistance or nationalism within the camp.”
Whereas the raids within the camp and Jenin area have now reportedly ended, not less than 9 younger males have been arrested within the al-Jalama village, northeast of Jenin.
Areas in and close to Nablus, Jericho, Ramallah and Bethlehem – which Christians imagine is the birthplace of Jesus Christ – have been additionally raided in a single day by Israeli forces, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reported.
Within the village of Burqa, northwest of the town of Nablus within the occupied West Financial institution, Israeli forces arrested not less than 20 folks, together with senior residents.
Furthermore, Palestinian information company Wafa mentioned {that a} 17-year-old boy was injured after he was hit within the neck when Israeli forces fired dwell ammunition throughout a raid within the city of Aqaba, north of Tubas.
Wafa reported that Israeli forces additionally arrested one other resident of Tubas earlier than withdrawing from the city.
Elevated violence within the occupied West Financial institution
The West Financial institution has seen surging violence and arrests in parallel to Israel’s warfare on the Gaza Strip which has killed greater than 20,000 Palestinians.
Israel says it’s concentrating on Hamas in Gaza, however the violence within the West Financial institution is happening regardless of Hamas having restricted presence within the territory.
Israeli incursions into the West Financial institution have killed not less than 303 Palestinians since October 7.
Along with the actions of Israel’s navy, assaults by Israeli settlers are additionally on the rise.
No less than 700,000 Israeli settlers dwell in unlawful, fortified, Jewish-only settlements throughout the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem, the vast majority of which have been constructed both completely or partially on personal Palestinian land.
Assaults, which have elevated exponentially over the previous three months, embrace shootings, stabbings, rock throwing and beatings, in addition to arson and critical harm to houses, autos and agricultural land.
The United Nations noted that “in practically half of all incidents, Israeli forces have been both accompanying or actively supporting the attackers”.
Rights teams, Palestinians, and a few within the worldwide group have slammed Israel for not doing sufficient to cease settler violence.
Earlier this month, international locations like Belgium and america announced they’d impose visa restrictions on “extremist” Israeli settlers concerned in undermining peace, safety or stability within the occupied West Financial institution.
At a cupboard assembly on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s authorities ratified a call to assign $21m to assist new settlements within the occupied West Financial institution.
