Shootings, Bombings and Stabbings: How Jenin Became the “Martyrs’ Capital”
Jenin’s connection to Palestinian violence and terrorism began even before the creation of the State of Israel, during the
Arab Revolt of 1936-1939. Since the British Mandatory government held
weak control over Jenin during this time period, the area became known as a nest of anti-British and anti-Jewish activity and Jenin was one of the cities that made up the
Arab triangle from which attacks were directed against Jewish communities in the Jezreel Valley.
In both
1948 and 1967, Arab armies used Jenin as a forward position from which to attack Israeli forces and civilian centers.
In 1953, the Jordanians established the Jenin
refugee camp next to the city of Jenin for Palestinians who were
displaced during the 1948 War of Independence (for the purposes of this article, “Jenin” will refer to both the city and the refugee camp).
After the Six Day War in 1967, Israel took control of Jenin and maintained it until 1996, when it came under the rule of the Palestinian Authority as part of the Oslo Accords.
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The Wasps’ Nest: Jenin Today
Today, Jenin is home to a number of
internationally recognized Palestinian terrorist organizations, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. Of these organizations, PIJ is the
largest and strongest in the region.
While these organizations always existed in Jenin, their activity was limited during the 15 years of quiet. However, during the past two years, these organizations have taken an active role in supporting and organizing violent attacks against both Israeli soldiers and civilians.
What has occurred during the past two years to turn Jenin back into a hive of terrorist activity?
According to Mor and Truzman, a number of
factors have contributed to the recent rise in terrorist activity in the Jenin area: The development of rivalries between different Palestinian factions as to who will succeed
Mahmoud Abbasas leader of the Palestinian Authority, the 2021
Israeli operation against Hamas in Gaza, the
escape of six Palestinian terrorists (all from the Jenin area) from Gilboa Prison in September 2021 and the rise in
deadly clashes between Palestinian terrorists (many of whom were from Jenin) and Israeli forces in the latter half of 2021.
The last point is particularly relevant as it led to the founding of the
Jenin Battalion. Formed in May 2021 and announced a few months later, the Jenin Battalion is affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad but also includes members from Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
The Battalion was founded as a means of more effectively resisting Israeli anti-terrorism operations in the Jenin area. The Battalion is composed of a number of small cells that are controlled by a joint operations room (known colloquially as “the wasps’ nest”).
The joint operations room monitors the entry of Israeli forces into Jenin and then commands Battalion members via cellular communications (such as the Telegram application) and mosque loudspeakers to engage the IDF soldiers with gunfire, Molotov cocktails and IEDs. This leads to the protracted gunfights between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen that have been recently reported in the news (see
here,
here and
here).
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The Threat From Jenin to Israelis and Palestinians
With the rise in terrorism and violent exchanges between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen in the Jenin area, both Israelis and Palestinians are facing a number of threats that directly affect their safety and security.
First, the surge in violent opposition by the Jenin Battalion to Israeli counter-terrorism operations in the region largely takes place in residential neighborhoods. As can be seen from the tragic death of Al Jazeera journalist
Shireen Abu Akleh (who was killed while reporting on an Israeli counter-terrorism operation in Jenin in May), the crossfire between the IDF and the Battalion directly threatens the lives of non-combatants in the surrounding area.
Second, the popularity of the Battalion among the local residents of Jenin has inspired terrorist organizations in other West Bank communities to adopt its organizational strategy and modus operandi. Already, terrorists in Nablus, Tulkarm and Bethlehem have
adopted the Jenin Battalion’s model. In Nablus, members of this newly-formed Battalion have
attacked Israeli soldiers and civilians visiting the nearby Tomb of Joseph.
If the Jenin Battalion’s methods continue to be replicated, this could increase the threat of harm to both Israeli and Palestinian civilians across the West Bank.
Lastly, the rise in terrorist attacks originating in Jenin will threaten the safety and security of Israelis across the country but will also harm non-combatant Palestinians living in Jenin, who will be forced to endure IDF operations aimed at rooting out the terrorists responsible for each attack.
When reporting on Jenin, news organizations must ensure they convey the full truth to their readers and viewers: Jenin is a hotbed of Palestinian terrorism that threatens stability in both Israel and the West Bank. What’s more, Jenin will never change unless the terrorists who hide there are rooted out.
(full article online)
Between March and May 2022, Israel experienced its worst wave of terrorism in over six years, with 19 Israelis killed and many more wounded in a number of
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