A total of 130 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military this year.
During the night, ten Palestinians have died after an attack on a refugee settlement in Jenin.
– It is a massive strike by the Israeli military, says TV4’s foreign commentator Elisabet Frerot.
The conflict in the West Bank has escalated sharply. Over 14,000 people are crammed into the densely populated refugee camp that was attacked last night – in less than one square kilometer. The attack was carried out by the Israeli military, using both drones and helicopters.
– Using drones and helicopters in densely built-up areas has not been done since the mid-2000s, says TV4 Nyhetern’s foreign commentator Elisabet Frerot.
“Lost faith in the peace process”
About a thousand military personnel are involved in the operation and several bulldozers are preparing the way for ground troops. Jenin has long been central to the Palestinian uprising. But the attacks have hit the population hard.
– There is now a whole generation of young Palestinians who have lost faith in the peace process and that they will get their own state. And lost faith in the Palestinian authority that is supposed to rule the West Bank, but which is both corrupt and weak in their eyes, says Elisabet Frerot.
There is now widespread support in Jenin for taking up arms in the fight against the occupation. Several armed Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, say their armed struggle against the occupation will continue. That Israel bears full responsibility for all the consequences of this crackdown.
– So there is a risk of retaliation and of escalation and continued violence. Maybe even in Gaza, says Elisabet Frerot.
“Great fear of terrorist acts”
She describes the year as “the bloodiest in decades”.
– 130 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military, but also 24 Israelis have been killed in various terrorist acts. There have been knife attacks, there have been cars that ran over people strolling on the beach in Tel Aviv.
Israel claims that their crackdown is a counter-terrorism operation and that 50 acts of terror have been planned in Jenin alone. Both among the population and all the major opposition parties there is support for this effort against terrorism.
– There is a great fear in Israel of terrorist acts, says Elisabet Frerot.
Palestine breaks with Israel
During the evening, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas announced that he is suspending all contacts and security work with Israel, TT reports. The decision was made during a meeting with other leaders within the Palestinian Authority, according to Jerusalem Post.