According to the Guardian's report cited by the IRNA on Sunday, violence in the West Bank always seems to be placed into the second category, no matter how extreme.
Yet in recent weeks, we have seen a marked escalation from Israel. Politicians seem to have decided they have free rein while this latest war plays out and all eyes are on Gaza. But look at the West Bank and you will see the actions of an increasingly totalitarian regime that is detaining Palestinians without charge, torturing prisoners and limiting physical and economic freedom in order to consolidate settler dominance, the source added.
According to the Guardian, in the seven weeks from 7 October, Israeli forces and settlers killed 221 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – more than the entirety of 2022. They include eight-year-old Adam al-Ghoul and Basel Abu al-Wafa, 15, from Jenin refugee camp.
Another 2,955 people have been injured. Raids on Palestinian refugee camps, villages and towns have become even more frequent – and are now taking place in broad daylight, when they often used to be perpetrated under the cover of darkness. Drones and snipers are used to targetyoung people who throw stones, bystanders and anyone who challenges the military’s actions.
Medical teams in the West Bank have also been blocked from treating our injured. The World Health Organization has reported 229 attacks on “healthcare” between 7 October and 28 November, most of which took place during raids. These included obstructing ambulances, detaining and using force against healthcare personnel, and conducting militarised searches.
The sheer level of destruction shows that Israel’s aims during this war go well beyond a “second Nakba” in Gaza alone. The Balata refugee camp was targeted by an airstrike on 18 November, and Israeli armoured vehicles and bulldozers then raided its narrow streets, causing heavy damage to the already-ailing roads and essential infrastructure. This is a well-established Israeli tactic that seeks to destroy the fabric of everyday life. In Jenin camp earlier this year, Israel destroyed water pipes, cut off electricity, damaged roads and wrecked cars, British daily newspaper said.
From previous experience, we know what comes next in these raids: extensive arrest campaigns, the source added.
The Palestinian Authority’s commission for prisoner affairs reports that Israel has arrested nearly 3,300 Palestinians since 7 October, 80% of whom are subjected to administrative detention – renewable six-month sentences that are handed down without trial or charge. These arrests are brutal.
Israeli soldiers beat Palestinian detainees and destroy their property. Israel has made various amendments to martial law to extend the period Palestinians can be detained without judicial review or even lawyer visits and amended its anti-terrorism law to criminalise the following of unacceptable social media accounts.
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