Israeli Forces Continue Counterterrorism Operations in the West Bank

Latest Developments

• Israeli Forces Operate Against Terror Infrastructure: Over the past two days, Israeli troops, along with the Shin Bet and Border Police, have eliminated five terrorists in the Jenin area as part of a series of counterterrorism operations in the northern West Bank, the IDF said on November 20. Israeli forces destroyed four IED laboratories, seven weapons, and multiple IEDs during the operation.

• Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas Acknowledge Deaths of Fighters: Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s “Qabatiya Groups” acknowledged that the IDF killed three terrorists affiliated with the organization’s branch in the northern West Bank city of Qabatiya on November 19. For its part, Hamas published a mourning statement for Rami Muhammed Hazhouzi, one of its operatives who was killed in clashes with IDF troops on November 19 in Jenin.

• IDF Targets Armed Terrorists in the Northern West Bank: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck armed terrorists in the Jenin Governorate on November 20, the IDF said. Adding more detail to the IDF’s statement, Israel’s Now 14 channel reported that the IAF launched two airstrikes in the village of Dan, eliminating one person.

FDD Expert Response

“The West Bank has largely remained in the shadows as Israel continues its multi-front war in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond. However, Palestinian armed groups have not gone anywhere and even continue to thrive. Ultimately, Israel will have to make a significant decision on how to address the ongoing challenge of Palestinian terrorist groups in the West Bank since the present strategy has not yielded a significant reduction of activity in the territory.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“The IDF raid on these four explosives labs is an important achievement in the fight against terror in Jenin and other areas of the West Bank. Iran has been seeking to expand the terror capabilities of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other groups in order to create another front for attacks on Israel. Thwarting terror labs and Iran’s efforts is key to bringing peace to the West Bank and the region.” — Seth J. Frantzman, Adjunct Fellow