‘The largest assault in two decades’ – Attacks on the West Bank escalate with major Israeli offensive, sending a clear signal of Israel’s lack of commitment to a ceasefire
London, 28th August 2024 – The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is critically concerned by the Israeli escalation of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, following a major offensive across four cities in the West Bank including Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and Tubas. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 628 Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israeli forces have besieged the Jenin Hospital and the Jenin refugee camp as part of a military attack in the northern occupied West Bank. At least 11 Palestinians were killed in the ongoing military raid in the West Bank, including Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus and Tubas. Bulldozers have also been used to block roads leading into the refugee camp and the hospital, thereby obstructing medical aid from getting in.
The ongoing raid has been described as the largest assault since 2002, demonstrating a significant intensification of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Israel’s violent offensive is an alarming escalation that sends a clear message of its lack of commitment towards achieving a ceasefire and its continuation and escalation of violent dispossession and targeting of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as Gaza.
The sheer scale of the escalation is made particularly clear by the dangerous comments of Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who said ‘this is a war’ and called for the ‘evacuation of Palestinian citizens’ – in other words, ethnic cleansing. His comments drew comparisons from the Israeli media referring to his ‘Gaza-style’ plan.
Israel’s policy of settlement expansion in the oPt translates into the systematic and routine killing of Palestinians. It also translates into complete impunity and protection of settlers attacking and killing Palestinians, as well as other forms of settler violence such as forcibly occupying Palestinian land and laying waste to crops and damaging trees. This longstanding policy dramatically increased in intensity and size since October 2023. Only last month, Israel approved the single largest seizure of West Bank land in 30 years.
Thousands of Palestinians are at risk of forcible eviction in Silwan in Jerusalem. Yesterday, Israeli forces demolished the house of the Odeh family in Silwan displacing 10 Palestinians including two children. Israel continues to demolish homes of Palestinians in Jerusalem and threatens to destroy a neighbourhood home to 1,550 Palestinians.
The scale may differ, but Israel is bombing Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank; Israel is killing children in Gaza and the West Bank; Israel is attacking internationally protected spaces such as hospitals in Gaza and the West Bank, including protected religious sites in Jerusalem; Israel supports and encourages settler in violence in Gaza, through the disruption of aid, and the West Bank through encouraging illegal settlement. Israel forcefully displaces Palestinians, in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
This latest escalation is evidence of one thing: Israel’s War on Gaza will eventually extend to cover all of Palestine. No one is safe from the brutal grip Israel’s illegal military occupation.
Israel shows no intentions to halt its military assaults across the oPt and it falls on the international community and international bodies to put a stop to the violence, protect Palestinians, and uphold international law.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- Times of Israel referring to Israeli Foreign Minister’s comments as ‘Gaza-style’.
- The Guardian, July 2024. Largest seizure of West Bank land in 30 years.
- ICJP are able to provide more information and comments, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at [email protected].