RAMALLAH – The West Bank reacted quickly to the Israeli incursion into the city and refugee camp of Jenin, in the northern West Bank, raising the question of whether events could spill over into a wider uprising.
With the start of the Israeli offensive on the Jenin camp, the factions began to call on their supporters to move and escalate the confrontation at points of friction with the Israeli army, which has already happened in most governorates.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society says its teams dealt with 76 injuries during clashes in Nablus (59), Bethlehem (16) and Hebron one injured.
On Tuesday morning, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the martyrs of the aggression on Jenin camp had risen to 10 and the injuries to 100, including 20, which it described as serious.
Press coverage: Young men block roads and burn rubber tires in Kafr Aqab, north of occupied Jerusalem, Birzeit University junction and Jalazone Street in Al-Bireh, in support of Jenin. pic.twitter.com/7h79Isrcff
— Palestine Live | PL Plus (@pl_plus1) July 4, 2023
Solidarity and strike vigils
On Monday evening and Tuesday, various governorates also witnessed rallies in support of the city of Jenin, in which hundreds of Palestinians from various forces and factions participated.
Human rights organizations specialized in prisoners' affairs dedicated a sit-in in the center of Hebron "in solidarity with dozens of detainees in the camp, whose fate or conditions of detention are unknown," according to Ibrahim Najajra, director of the city's Prisoners' Affairs Commission.
Najajra added, in his interview with Al Jazeera Net, that "dozens have been arrested in recent hours without taking into account international laws and norms or legal and health follow-ups, and some of them may be subjected to abuse and beatings in army camps or detention centers."
In addition to about 120 Palestinians announced by the occupation army during its invasion of Jenin camp, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that the number of arrests from various governorates reached 20 detainees in the last hours.
In addition, the strike paralyzed various private and government sectors in the West Bank governorates, and shops closed their doors, in mourning for the souls of the martyrs, in response to the call of Palestinian forces and factions and youth movements.
Blood donation campaign in Hebron for the benefit of the wounded of the Israeli aggression in Jenin https://t.co/yFd14yI7zH
— shahennews.com (@dawodsha49) July 4, 2023
Blood and food donations
In conjunction with the clashes, popular, official and trade union circles rushed to organize blood donation campaigns, as was done in Hebron Governmental Hospital, and others to collect foodstuffs, especially in the city of Nablus, near Jenin.
The director of Hebron Governmental Hospital, Dr. Tariq Barbarawi for Al Jazeera Net that the hospital launched since the morning a blood donation campaign "in support of our people in Jenin."
The campaign will continue until Tuesday evening, he said, noting that the quantities of blood donated in Hebron and other governorates will be transferred to the Central Blood Bank in Ramallah, and then to Jenin hospitals.
"Dozens of citizens are taking part in the campaign, especially since Jenin is bleeding for the second day in a row, and its hospitals need more blood units in light of the increase in the number of injured," he said.
A comprehensive strike in Hebron, denouncing the sale of the Jenin. pic.twitter.com/XfI5qM0Wfl
— Al-Quds TV (@livequds) July 4, 2023
New stage
In light of the increasing intensity and intensity of confrontations on the one hand, and popular solidarity on the other, Issam Abu Bakr, coordinator of the Palestinian forces in Ramallah, believes that what is happening today in Jenin "is heard throughout the West Bank and establishes a new phase at various levels."
Abu Bakr adds, in his interview with Al Jazeera Net, that the popular resistance was taking place intermittently and concentrated in some areas targeted by the occupation and settlement, "but the events of Jenin establish a new phase must be different in terms of the form and distribution of popular resistance and the integration of its forms."
The Palestinian leader said it is likely that the situation on the ground will roll "to reach a comprehensive uprising because the escalation of the crimes of the occupation, including the intensification and expansion of settlements, has left the Palestinians with no choice but to expand and intensify popular resistance in all its forms in accordance with what is allowed by international law."
Abu Bakr added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying through his aggression to consolidate his ruling party coalition and restore the shaky deterrence force after a series of operations in the West Bank, and to prove that Israel's hand reaches whoever it wants, "but the solution according to the security entrance is risky, because it was tried previously, and the West Bank was invaded and this did not lead to maintaining security for Israel, but all plans failed and will fail miserably in the future."
In 2002, Israel reoccupied and continues to control the territories that belonged to the Palestinian Authority in accordance with the Oslo Accords.
It is noteworthy that the Palestinian leadership announced, in a statement after its meeting chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday evening, "the cessation of all contacts and meetings with the Israeli side and the continuation of the cessation of security coordination."