RAMALLAH, West Bank — The city of Jenin, in the northern West Bank, is back to the forefront amid daily incidents in the past weeks involving clashes between armed young men of the Palestinian resistance in the area and Israeli forces. On July 12, a number of streets witnessed some of the most violent armed clashes in years after special Israeli forces raided the area to arrest a number of wanted men. Six Palestinians were shot and injured by the Israeli military, and another six were arrested.
Palestinian youths have been confronting the Israeli forces using light firearms such as Kalashnikov and M16 rifles. They also throw Molotov cocktails and homemade bombs at army vehicles. Clashes in Jenin have been taking place on a daily basis since the 11-day war on the Gaza strip began May 10, and has become more violent since June 10 after Israeli forces shot dead three men in Jenin. Two of the victims were from the Palestinian Authority's military intelligence, and they were killed in front of their duty station during the Israeli military’s crackdown on Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement. The third victim was identified as Jamil al-Amouri, a member of Al-Quds Brigades. Meanwhile, his friend, Wissam Abu Zeid, was arrested after he was hit during the operation.
The clashes in Jenin are not restricted to fighting the Israeli forces raiding the area. In the last few weeks, Israeli checkpoints and military stations around the city were also attacked by angry Palestinains. On several occasions, bullets targeted al-Jalama checkpoint, which separates the city of Jenin from the Green Line.
Because the clashes in Jenin are predominantly led by members and supporters of Al-Quds Brigades, they worry the Israeli forces. The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported July 14, based on the account of the commander of Israeli special forces, that the forces survived an attempt to ambush them two weeks earlier in Jenin, in reference to the incident June 10 that led to the death of the three Palestinians.
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