ARCHIVE - Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz. Photo: Hannes P Albert/dpa
Keystone
According to the Defense Minister, the Israeli army will remain in the Palestinian city of Jenin in the West Bank even after the end of a military operation.
Keystone-SDA
29.01.2025, 14:54
SDA
"The refugee camp in Jenin will not go back to the way it was," said Israel Katz during a visit by troops to the town, which is considered a stronghold of Palestinian militants, according to his office. "After the operation is completed, the army will remain in the camp to ensure that terror does not return."
The Israeli army launched a new major military operation in Jenin more than a week ago. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 16 people were killed in the Jenin area, including bystanders.
Katz announces expansion of the operation
The aim of Operation "Iron Wall" is to smash "terror infrastructure built with Iranian funding and equipment in Palestinian camps", explained Katz. At the same time, he announced an expansion of the operation.
Katz also accused the Palestinian Authority of financing terror and the murder of Jews. However, before the Israeli operation in Jenin began, security forces from the Palestinian Authority had been deployed against militant forces in the city in the north of the West Bank for several weeks. There had been casualties on both sides.
Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. Today, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live there among three million Palestinians. The Palestinians claim the territories for their own state with East Jerusalem as its capital.