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Israel has expelled residents from three refugee fields in occupied West as an important one -month operation in the Palestinian territory increases.
Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said the camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams were now “empty” and would be occupied by the Israeli army for next year.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it has deployed a division of tanks around the city of Jenin, the first time it has done so since 2002. The Palestinian authority condemned the measure.
The UN said earlier this month that the operation of Israel, which began on January 21 and intensified in recent days, had led to “forced displacement” of 40,000 people.
“Until now, 40,000 Palestinians have evacuated from the refugee fields of Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams, who are now empty of residents,” said Israel Katz in a statement.
“I have instructed (troops) to prepare for a prolonged presence in the camps clear for next year and avoid the return of residents and the resurgence of terrorism.”
He also said that Israel had instructed the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) to stop operating in the area.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, described the decision to display tanks such as a “dangerous Israeli climb that will not lead to stability or calm.”
The IDF said in a statement that their forces “continue the operation to frustrate terrorism” and are expanding their “offensive activity”, which until now has involved drones, tanks, special forces, border police and agents of the intelligence agency Shin Bet Shin
The UN said Thursday that since Israeli operations began on January 21, 51 Palestinians, including seven children, have been killed in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, as well as three Israeli soldiers.
The offensive has caused serious damage to the water and sanitation infrastructure, interrupting access to water to “tens of thousands of people,” he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Tulkarm refugee camp on Friday and ordered the army to intensify the “operational activity,” said his office.
“We are entering terrorist strengths, flattening entire streets that terrorists and their homes use. We are eliminating terrorists, commanders,” said Netanyahu.
His visit followed the explosion of three buses in Tel Aviv, which Israeli officials described as a “suspicion of terrorist attack” caused by bombs of the type that was previously found in the West Bank.
Israel occupied the West Bank in the six -day war in 1967 and since then has built about 160 settlements that house about 700,000 Jews. The agreements are considered illegal according to international law, although Israel disputes this.
