'Israel' fears Intifada in West Bank amid reinforcements in the North

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
22 Aug 2024 15:53
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Israeli media reports that the Israeli occupation forces expect an escalation in the West Bank, especially in Nablus and the Balata refugee camp, in the north-central part of the West Bank.

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Palestinian freedom fighters march during a funeral for martyred Palestinians draped in the Hamas flag and killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Jenin refugee camp, in the West Bank city of Jenin, August 18, 2024. (AP)

Israeli media reported on Thursday that the Israeli occupation forces are "greatly concerned about the potential outbreak of conflict in another sector," noting that this concern comes as they remain "on high alert on the northern front [with Lebanon]."

According to Israeli newspaper Maariv, the Israeli occupation expects an escalation in the West Bank, particularly in Nablus and the Balata refugee camp, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank, which may include bombings and martyrdom operations within "Israel."

These expectations come after the martyrdom of 21-year-old Hamas leader Jamal Saudi on Wednesday, after he and another freedom fighter were targeted by an Israeli drone in the Balata refugee camp.

Maariv pointed out that Saudi's martyrdom could “ignite violence in Nablus and Balata camp, so the army has increased its operational readiness in the central region.”

The newspaper also noted that the assassination of Khalil al-Muqdah, a commander in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, in southern Lebanon, "has an impact on igniting the West Bank because he has a special military force."

It is noteworthy that martyr al-Muqdah played a major role in supporting Resistance cells against the occupation for many years in the West Bank.

Aman warns of potential uprising-level escalation

Two days ago, the Israeli military intelligence (Aman) conveyed estimates to security agencies, predicting an escalation in the West Bank that could reach the scale of an Intifada, including bombings and martyrdom operations within "Israel." The recent explosion in Tel Aviv might be an indicator of this, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

The newspaper claimed that since "Israel" began its war on Gaza, the use of explosive devices has increased, and motivations among young people in refugee camps in the West Bank have intensified due to the war. "This is a factor that cannot be ignored in considerations of continuing the war and deploying Israeli military forces between the two regions."

According to the newspaper, the scenario that worries the security apparatus is that Palestinian Resistance brigades in the northern West Bank will launch operations similar to Operation Al-Aqsa flood on settlements and random outposts, "with the participation of the Palestinian security services," which the Israeli army describes as "the scenario of turning nozzles," because "so far the Palestinian Authority security services have been trying to minimize the phenomenon of armed brigades."

Israeli security agencies previously revealed that dangerous explosive devices have reached Resistance groups in the West Bank through gaps in the border fence with Jordan. They also reported that the Israeli occupation forces had seized only a small fraction of the weapons reaching the West Bank.