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This era of heightened violence within the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem has prompted comparisons with features of the second intifada, or Palestinian rebellion, within the early 2000s and stoked fears of additional bloodshed beneath probably the most right-wing authorities in Israel’s historical past. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new ultranationalist coalition has vowed to take a hard-line stance in opposition to the Palestinians and to entrench Israeli rule over lands they look for a future state.
WHY DID THE ISRAELI ARMY ENTER NABLUS?
A lot of the violence between Israelis and Palestinians for the previous yr has centered on Nablus, together with the close by metropolis of Jenin. The Israeli army mentioned Wednesday’s daytime raid focused a Nablus-based armed group of younger males generally known as the Lions’ Den, which emerged final yr. The group has surged in reputation amongst Palestinians who see them as heroes for combating Israel’s open-ended occupation of the West Financial institution, now in its 56th yr. Though the Lion’s Den portrays itself as impartial of established Palestinian factions, consultants say the group is funded by Islamist militant teams Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israel has blamed the Lion’s Den for a string of shootings geared toward troops and Israeli settlements previously months, together with one which killed a soldier final October.
WHY DID THE RAID TAKE PLACE DURING THE DAY?
The Israeli military normally raids cities within the West Financial institution late at evening in what it says is a tactic meant to cut back the chance of civilian casualties. However on Wednesday, as Israeli army autos rumbled into Nablus’ Previous Metropolis, its warren of houses and retailers teeming with distributors and residents going about their routines beneath the intense sky. Preventing between Israeli safety forces and Palestinian gunmen erupted within the stone alleys and the Israeli military even fired missiles at a home after the militants holed up there refused to give up. The Israeli army mentioned intelligence providers had tracked down three needed members of the Lion’s Den, together with one concerned within the killing of the Israeli soldier final fall, and decided they have been all in the identical home — providing a uncommon window of alternative to focus on them. The military claimed the militants posed a right away risk to Israeli lives, with out offering proof.
WHO WAS KILLED IN THE RAID?
At the least 10 Palestinians have been killed, together with a 16-year-old, a 72-year-old and a 61-year-old. The Lion’s Den claimed six of the lifeless as its members. Different males have been killed in unclear circumstances that the Israeli military mentioned it was investigating. CCTV footage extensively shared on-line confirmed two younger males, apparently unarmed, shot after sprinting down the road, away from echoing gunfire. One other video circulating on social media, confirmed by witnesses, exhibits the physique of 72-year-old Adnan Baara inert on the bottom of the Previous Metropolis market, his garments lined in mud, beside a cart of bread. “We’re wanting into every part,” mentioned Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, a military spokesman. Up to now this yr, at the very least 59 Palestinians have been killed within the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, in keeping with a tally by The Related Press. Whereas a lot of these killed in current military raids are militants, stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and others not concerned in confrontations have additionally been killed.
WHY WAS THE DEATH TOLL SO HIGH?
The Israeli army mentioned that its troops got here beneath heavy fireplace as they stormed into the town. Younger Palestinian males are more and more taking over weapons and organizing into small militant teams. The Israeli military’s escalating efforts to pursue them final yr led to bloodshed within the West Financial institution at ranges not seen since 2004. Fed up with the Israeli occupation that constrains their lives and disillusioned by the long-stalemated peace course of and the unpopular Palestinian Authority that workout routines restricted management in components of the West Financial institution, many younger Palestinians have gotten their palms on M-16s, usually smuggled from Israeli military bases or neighboring Jordan. As an alternative of slinging stones at troops getting into their cities, they open fireplace. Israeli forces fireplace again. Throughout a raid into the Jenin refugee camp final month, 10 Palestinians have been killed, together with a 61-year-old girl peering out on the chaos from her residence window.
The Islamist militant group that guidelines the Gaza Strip, Hamas, issued a veiled risk after the lethal raid, saying its “endurance is operating out.” Senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh mentioned that the Palestinian Authority is “contemplating taking steps in any respect ranges in response,” with out elaborating. Its choices are restricted. After final month’s raid in Jenin, the PA suspended safety coordination with Israel, a transfer it has introduced earlier than with little influence. Though Israel says that its stepped-up arrest raids within the West Financial institution are supposed to stop future assaults, Palestinian residents and critics say the operations solely inflame a ceaseless cycle of hatred and bloodshed. The Lion’s Den on Wednesday promised revenge. “The dimensions of the ache that befell Nablus right this moment,” it warned, “Israel will swallow twice as a lot.”
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