What’s going on in the occupied West Bank, and why now? | AJ #shorts

The ink barely had time to dry
on the Gaza cease fire deal

before Israel's military launched
another attack on Palestinians

But this is the occupied
West Bank.

Within days, Israeli forces
have killed a dozen people

and wounded many more.

It's a coordinated operation.

Raids have been happening
across the territory,

from Jericho to Bethlehem
to Ramallah,

but the largest is in Jenin.

Israeli forces have been
on the ground and in the air.

They've bombed buildings,
detained dozens of Palestinians,

and, as usual, bulldozed roads.

But, it's not just Israeli forces
who have been targeting Jenin.

In December, the Palestinian Authority,
which administers part of the West Bank

launched its own operation
in the Jenin refugee camp.

The crackdown
was aimed at rival groups,

like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The UN's refugee agency says
the refugee camp has become

nearly uninhabitable, with an estimated
2000 families displaced since then.

We know Israel uses its war
on Palestinians

as a testing ground for
—not only weapons—

but also tactics.

And Israeli Defense Minister,
Israel Katz, said [that]

forces are now applying, in Jenin,
the tactic of repeated raids

learned from the war in Gaza.

They say they're targeting
terrorist groups.

Oh! And then there are the settlers.

The Israeli military set up dozens
more checkpoints

to stop farmers from reaching
their farmlands

and to seal civilians into entire cities

such as Hebron and Bethlehem.

And that has allowed settlers
to try to takeover

those unattended farms.

It's all part of an ongoing state-backed
strategy of illegal settlement expansion.

Palestinians fear it's also about
West Bank annexation.

One of the first things Donald Trump
did when he took office

was cancel Biden-era sanctions

on far right Israeli settler groups
and individuals

accused of violence against Palestinians.

We don't know if any promises
were made to Israeli officials

in return for backing the Gaza ceasefire.

There's also Trump's UN envoy,
Elise Stefanik.

"I did ask you whether you
subscribe to the views

of Finance Minister Smotridge."

"Who? I'm sorry, Finance...."

"Smotrich. This is the Israeli
Finance Minister, Smotrich,

and the former National
Security Minister, Ben Gevir,

who believe that Israel
has a biblical right

to the entire West Bank.
Is that your view, today?"

"Yes."
"Okay."

Israel's Finance Minister,
Bezalel Smotrich has warned [that]

Israel is preparing for another war.
But, in his own words,

this time, in the West Bank
until complete victory.

Smotrich is also in charge
of the settlement project

and has announced Israel will
annex the West Bank this year:

i.e., about 94% of the territory
meant for a future Palestinian state!