In the aftermath of a delicate ceasefire established in the Gaza Strip, Israel has initiated a significant military operation in the occupied West Bank, during which suspected Jewish settlers have violently clashed with residents in two Palestinian towns.
The ongoing turmoil arises as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself under increasing pressure from far-right coalition partners after consenting to the truce and the exchange of hostages with Hamas. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed the previous Biden administration’s sanctions against Israeli individuals accused of committing acts of violence in the region.
This volatile scenario poses a serious threat to the ceasefire, which is intended to last for at least six weeks and aims to facilitate the release of numerous hostages in return for the liberation of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the majority of whom are expected to be released in the West Bank.
Historically, Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East conflict, with Palestinians aspiring to incorporate all three territories into their envisaged future state. Tensions in one area often ignite conflicts across others, raising the possibility that the more challenging second phase of the Gaza ceasefire — yet to be negotiated — may not proceed.
On a recent night, masked individuals wreaked havoc in two Palestinian villages in the northern West Bank, throwing stones and igniting vehicles and property, as reported by local officials. The Red Crescent emergency service noted that twelve people sustained injuries from beatings.
Concurrently, Israeli forces executed a raid elsewhere in the West Bank, asserting it was a response to firebombs thrown at Israeli vehicles. The military reported several detentions for questioning, and a video circulating online showed a large group being marched through the streets.
On Tuesday, Israeli military forces enacted another major operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a site of frequent clashes with Palestinian militants, which have intensified in the wake of Hamas’ attack from Gaza on October 7, 2023.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least nine Palestinians, including a 16-year-old, were killed on Tuesday, and around forty were injured. Israeli forces claimed they conducted airstrikes and dismantled roadside bombs, asserting that they “hit” ten militants although the implications of that statement remained unclear.
Residents in the area have reported a notable increase in Israeli checkpoints, significantly prolonging travel times across Palestinian territories. Israel contends that the threats from the West Bank against its citizens are escalating. Earlier this month, an assault by Palestinian gunmen on motorists resulted in the deaths of three Israelis, which included two elderly women in their seventies, prompting settler leaders to call for a strong response.
In light of these events, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz framed the Jenin operation as a strategic move against Iran and its allies throughout the region, declaring that “we will strike the octopus’ arms until they snap.”
Palestinians perceive such military actions and the expansion of settlements as efforts to entrench Israeli dominion over the territory where approximately three million Palestinians live, governed by Israeli military authorities while the Western-supported Palestinian Authority administers various cities and towns.
Prominent human rights organizations have labeled the situation an apartheid regime, whereby over 500,000 Jewish settlers in these territories receive rights afforded by Israeli citizenship, a claim Israel vehemently denies.
As Netanyahu grapples with rising dissent from his ultranationalist coalition partners since the ceasefire agreement, tensions are escalating. This truce necessitates Israeli troop withdrawals from the majority of Gaza and the release of numerous Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted of murder, in exchange for hostages captured during the October 7 incident.
The day the ceasefire was activated, coalition member Itamar Ben-Gvir resigned in protest, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich cautioned he might leave the coalition if military operations against Palestinians do not resume post the initial ceasefire phase, which is due for reevaluation in early March.
Their agenda includes the annexation of the West Bank, reconstruction of Gaza settlements, and facilitation of what they term voluntary migration for large numbers of Palestinians.
Despite Ben-Gvir’s exit, Netanyahu maintains a parliamentary majority, but losing Smotrich, who is also the de facto governor of the West Bank, could considerably weaken his coalition and potentially lead to early elections. Such a scenario could jeopardize Netanyahu’s extended tenure, now approaching 16 years, and further expose him to long-standing corruption allegations and an anticipated public inquiry concerning shortcomings in preventing the October 7 attack.
The recent ascendance of Trump back in the White House presents Netanyahu with a potential advantage. During his prior administration, Trump offered unparalleled support to Israel and has appointed advisors with strong backing for Israeli settlement activities, even endorsing settlers’ claims of a biblical right to the West Bank due to historical Jewish kingdoms.
The international community largely deems settlements as illegal, and on his first day reinstated, Trump signed an executive order eliminating the sanctions imposed by Biden against settlers and Jewish extremists linked to violence against Palestinians. Though these sanctions had minimal impact, they represented one of the few tangible actions taken by the Biden administration in opposition to Israeli policies, despite substantial military support provided to Israel’s Gaza actions, regarded as among the most devastating in recent history.
Trump claimed responsibility for finalizing the Gaza ceasefire agreement during Biden’s administration, yet recently expressed skepticism regarding its durability, suggesting that Israel should operate without restraint in Gaza, stating, “It’s not our war; it’s their war.”
