Israel Escalates Military Operations in Northern West Bank, Qalqilya Targeted
Israeli forces have intensified their operations across the northern occupied West Bank, with Qalqilya experiencing new assaults. On a recent Thursday morning, Israeli military personnel stormed the eastern entry point of Qalqilya at dawn. Troops subsequently fanned out across multiple neighborhoods, establishing what local accounts describe as a stringent cordon around the Kafr Saba area.
Context of Raids and Arrests
The broader context of these operations includes issues like the global campaign for Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti's release, the demolition of family homes as alleged "collective punishment," and the detention of individuals. Specifically, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces conducted searches in numerous homes within the neighborhood. Among those targeted were residences belonging to families of Palestinians previously detained or killed by Israeli forces, including the family of Muhammad Barahmeh, who was tragically killed last year. Additionally, one home was reportedly converted into a temporary interrogation facility, where several young men were held for questioning.
Palestinian sources indicate that at least two individuals were arrested in Qalqilya. Concurrently, 11 other Palestinians were detained during similar raids conducted that Thursday across Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, and Nablus. This surge in violence throughout the northern West Bank over the past week aligns with the commencement of a new Israeli military offensive. Launched in late November in Tubas and Tammun, the operation later expanded to Qabatiya and Masliya, imposing curfews, intensifying raids, leading to numerous arrests, and causing considerable damage to local infrastructure.
Escalation Amidst Gaza Conflict
The Israeli military maintains that its operations in the occupied West Bank aim to apprehend Palestinian combatants. These raids, a near-daily occurrence since 2022, have seen a marked escalation since October 2023, coinciding with the commencement of what is widely described as Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. Such operations have severely disrupted the daily lives of Palestinians in the West Bank, displacing tens of thousands from their homes.
Concerns Over Annexation and Settlements
However, local Palestinian sources, including Tubas Governor Ahmed Asaad, contend that the recent escalation of violence in the northern West Bank primarily seeks to establish "new realities" within the Jordan Valley region, which borders Jordan. Influential Israeli politicians consistently advocate for the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, particularly within the Jordan Valley. This expansion serves to consolidate Israel's control over the territory, potentially facilitating future annexation, and, critically, renders the establishment of a viable Palestinian state increasingly improbable under present conditions.
The annexation of the West Bank remains a significant objective for right-wing settler groups, whom Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of both empowering and depending on to maintain his political power and coalition. In June 2024, Netanyahu reportedly discreetly expanded the authority over the territory already delegated to the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a resident of an illegal settlement. Following a non-binding United Nations resolution in September that supported a two-state solution, Smotrich publicly stated on social media that Israel should "apply sovereignty [to the West Bank] as a preventive measure against the reckless attempt to establish a terror state in the heart of our land."
Humanitarian Impact and Rising Casualties
Human rights organizations and international observers have documented a notable surge in attacks by both the Israeli military and settler groups since the onset of the conflict in Gaza. Beyond the storming of refugee camps in Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem in January, combined actions by Israeli forces and settlers have resulted in over 1,000 Palestinian deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries across the occupied West Bank, as reported by UN figures. Furthermore, Palestinian rights groups report that Israel has apprehended more than 18,000 individuals during this same timeframe.
