Six Palestinians were wounded in a firefight with Israeli Police in the West Bank city of Jenin overnight on Monday as Israeli security forces conducted arrest operations.
The arrest operation was carried out by IDF troops from the Menashe Regional Brigade along with Israel Police and its Counterterrorism Unit.
According to Palestinian News Agency WAFA, Israeli forces and undercover units clashed with Palestinian youths after they raided the city’s industrial area. One Palestinian was seriously injured in his stomach after being shot by troops and he was rushed to a hospital in Nablus. The other five were injured after being shot by troops as well.
A statement released by the Border Police said that troops fired towards a number of Palestinians who fired live ammunition, hurled explosives and Molotov cocktails at them.
“During the operation, a number of terrorists opened massive fire, hurled explosive devices, and threw Molotov cocktails and stones towards our forces,” the statement said, adding that troops at the scene along with special forces “using advanced means and capabilities returned fire.”
While there were no injuries to Israeli security forces, an armored vehicle was damaged in the fighting.
#شاهد .. اشتباك مسلح بين مقاومـ. ـين وقوات الاحتلال في جنين فجر اليوم. pic.twitter.com/CVUtIHtxed
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) August 3, 2021
Israeli security forces carry out near-nightly raids in the West Bank in an effort to arrest wanted Palestinians, as well as to uncover unofficial workshops producing illegal weapons and confiscate funds that could be used for terror.
Last month another six Palestinians were injured during a similar raid in Jenin when a large firefight erupted after Israeli security forces arrested five terror suspects and were withdrawing. They came under “massive fire” from Palestinians who opened fire and hurled explosives towards them.
“Forces responded with fire at several of the gunmen who were identified as being armed and firing, and also at gunmen who threw or were holding explosive devices,” read a statement released by the Israel Police at the time.
In an interview with Yediot Aharonot following the firefight, the commander of the Counterterrorism Unit in the West Bank said that it was “reminiscent of Lebanon.”
Deputy-Superintendent D. told the publication that security forces went to the city to arrest suspects wanted by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and troops came under intense fire on their way out of the city as terrorists fired at them from just a few meters away.
“They identified our convoy and attacked us in a well-planned ambush,” said D. “While we were driving out of the city they followed our convoy of cars, stopped at an intersection in front of us, which we reached only after a few minutes, and blocked it with their cars. Meanwhile, the terrorists got out of the cars, stood on either side of the intersection, and waited for us.”
When the officers reached the intersection, they were fired on from all sides. “It was an encounter reminiscent of Lebanon,” D. said, adding that “they prepared surprise after surprise for us.”
The Jerusalem Post was told by a security source that Jenin is one of the more violent cities in the West Bank.
Since Operation Guardian of the Walls and the cancellation of the Palestinian Authority elections, both Hamas and Fatah have been fighting for dominance. With armed struggle bringing out more support following the May fighting, armed cells are feeling more confident to engage Israeli security forces, the source said.
Another four Palestinians were also injured early Tuesday in Beita after clashing with IDF troops. According to Ahmad Jibril, the director of the Red Crescent emergency center in Nablus, who was quoted by WAFA, two of the injured were taken to hospital.
Palestinians have been rioting daily outside the village of Beita near the illegal Israeli settlement of Eviyatar and five have been shot and killed by IDF troops during the protests.