Has the West Bank war and displacement begun?

The Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank are witnessing renewed chapters of siege, oppression and abuse, as Israeli practices escalate daily, targeting civilians and infrastructure alike. The ongoing siege on the cities and villages of the West Bank is one of the deadliest tools of oppression, restricting the movement of Palestinians and turning their daily lives into a continuous nightmare.

These policies are not limited to preventing the entry of food and basic supplies, but also include imposing severe restrictions on movement, isolating Palestinian communities from each other and disrupting economic and social life.

In addition to the siege, the West Bank is subjected to an intensive campaign of forced displacement and home demolitions. These policies are used as a tool to force Palestinians to leave their lands and homes, under security pretexts or under the pretext of unlicensed construction. However, the truth is that these practices aim to change the demographic composition of the area in favor of Israeli settlers. In this context, the homes of Palestinian families are being destroyed, without any alternative or compensation being provided, leaving these families homeless.

The daily oppression in the West Bank is not limited to demolition and displacement, but also includes systematic abuse embodied in random arrests, physical assaults, and the use of excessive force against demonstrators. All of these practices instill terror and fear in the hearts of Palestinians, and make their daily lives a bitter experience full of challenges and dangers.

The Palestinian infrastructure is not immune to this oppression. The occupation also targets schools, hospitals, water and electricity networks, which increases the suffering of the population and hinders the possibility of achieving any form of sustainable development. These attacks on infrastructure reflect a systematic Israeli policy aimed at weakening the Palestinian people and keeping them in a permanent state of poverty and dependency.

Palestinians in the West Bank live under comprehensive siege and oppression, where their daily lives are constantly threatened by Israeli policies that aim to impose complete control over the land and people. Forced displacement from homes is just one of the tools used by the occupation in this context, as Palestinians are forced to leave their homes under flimsy security pretexts or on the pretext of unlicensed construction. These policies serve the agenda of settlement expansion that aims to change the demographic composition of the West Bank, further complicating the humanitarian and economic situation of Palestinians.

The destruction of Palestinian infrastructure is another aspect of this oppression. Schools and hospitals, along with water and electricity networks, are subjected to repeated attacks that disrupt the daily lives of residents and weaken their ability to survive in their areas. These attacks are not random, but rather part of a systematic strategy aimed at destroying the basic necessities of life, leaving Palestinians in a permanent state of poverty and dependence on humanitarian aid. In addition to the physical siege, Palestinians also suffer from psychological and moral oppression. Random arrests, physical assaults, and daily attacks on human dignity aim to break the will of the Palestinians to resist and force them to submit to the will of the occupier. Nevertheless, Palestinians remain committed to their rights, continuing their struggle for freedom and dignity, despite all the challenges and suffering they face. On the other hand, relief organisations, such as the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, face great difficulties in providing assistance to the besieged civilians. The occupation forces obstruct the movement of ambulances and prevent them from reaching the injured and sick, in flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws. Despite these challenges, ambulance teams continue to respond to calls for help from citizens in need of medicine, food, or even milk for children, in a humanitarian effort that reflects the commitment of the Palestinian people to support each other in the most difficult circumstances.

The situation in Jenin and other areas of the West Bank is not isolated from the broader context of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinians. With the escalation of military operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has expanded its operations and aggressive war on the West Bank, leading to the martyrdom of hundreds of Palestinians, including many children, and the serious injury of thousands. These operations, which include the demolition of homes and the displacement of residents, come within the framework of an Israeli policy aimed at destroying the social and economic structure of the Palestinians and instilling fear and despair in their souls.

Despite all this repression and ongoing aggression, the Palestinians remain steadfast in their will and steadfastness. They realize that their struggle is not only for the land, but also to preserve their identity and dignity in the face of attempts at cultural erasure and genocide that the occupation seeks to impose. The Palestinian struggle, despite the enormous challenges, reflects the will of a people who do not accept defeat and continue to strive for freedom and dignity.

The events taking place in Jenin, Tulkarm and the rest of the West Bank cities are a war on identity and land at the same time, and they reaffirm the suffering of the Palestinian people under occupation. Siege, destruction and displacement are tools used systematically by the occupation to impose its control and force the Palestinians to give up their legitimate rights. However, despite these oppressive practices, the Palestinian people remain committed to their rights, refusing to surrender to the occupation’s plans that aim to obliterate their national identity. What is happening in Jenin today brings to mind the old Israeli practices that the region has witnessed, but at the same time it reflects the occupation’s failure to break the will of the Palestinian people. The siege and destruction may make life very difficult, but they cannot eliminate the determination of a people seeking freedom and dignity. 

Finally, the big question remains: How long will this situation continue? And how long will these military operations that do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, and target everyone without discrimination, continue? Answering these questions requires serious international action that puts an end to this ongoing tragedy and opens the door to achieving justice and peace for the Palestinian people who have been suffering for decades under the yoke of occupation.

Hasan Dajah is professor of strategic studies at Al Hussein Bin Talal University