Since Hamas's raid on Israel, not only has Gaza been plunged into a huge humanitarian disaster, but the West Bank has also been affected by the fighting. There are more and more attacks, more and more people are killed, and there are more and more ** and confrontations that follow.
The collapse is spreading in the West Bank. The Israeli army's operations in Gaza have been accompanied by arrests in the West Bank and fierce clashes with Palestinians in many places.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement on December 27 that Israeli forces had killed six Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tulkarem in the early hours of the same day.
part.Clashes in the West Bank have killed more than 300 Palestinians and injured thousands more since October 7, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
Israel's 'clearance operation' in the Gaza Strip is carried out in parallel with the 'clearance operation' in the West Bank, with the aim of consolidating Hamas forces and Jihad's forces in the Gaza Strip. Also destroy the Hamas Cell Network, the Jihad Cell Network, and other networks that are not affiliated with Hamas and Jihad, such as the Lion's Den in the West Bank, in the West Bank. ”
Niu Xinchun, professor at the Institute of Chinese Arab States Studies, Ningxia University:
Since Netanyahu came to power in December, this is the right-most term in Israel's history, and Israel's military and police have confiscated many Palestinian homes for more than a year. Now that the Israeli military and police have connived with Jewish settlers to set fire to Arab villages, the situation in the West Bank has been particularly tense for more than a year. ”
In the early morning of the 25th, Israeli troops and Palestinian militants exchanged fierce fire in the West Bank city of Jenin. Israeli forces opened fire on a refugee camp in the city of Jenin, and confrontations broke out in several areas.
This situation has further torn apart the West Bank, and relations between Israeli settlers in the West Bank have deteriorated as direct clashes have erupted between Israeli settlers and local Palestinians. Since 7 October, almost all Palestinians have been barred from entering Israel from the West Bank, depriving many West Bank residents who had previously worked in Israel of their livelihoods.
At the same time, after the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel expanded to recruit hundreds of thousands of reservists and equip them with guns, including settlers in the West Bank, which led to a rise in violent attacks in the West Bank.
In rural West Bank, Palestinian farmers under the threat of settler guns have been barred from using tractors and forced to use donkeys to plough the land. In cities in the West Bank, children are subject to searches by Israeli military police to go to school and can be killed by bullets while playing. There has been a sharp rise in incidents of armed settlers shooting and killing Palestinians.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said there had been at least 308 settler attacks against Palestinians and their property in the past two months.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
For example, in recent days, the olive fruit in the West Bank has ripened, and the Palestinian people have to harvest it from the olive trees, which is also a means of subsistence. There have been cases of Palestinians picking olives in their orchards being shot by Jewish settlers, and there are a small number of Jewish settlers who are sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian people, but they are still a minority. ”
The tense situation has also made the Palestinian population anxious. On 24 November, at least five Palestinians were killed by their compatriots and their bodies were hung in the lighthouse. They are considered traitors to deliver the message to Israel.
With so many attacks taking place, Israel's allies can't sit idly by. On December 5, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would take a new step to impose a visa ban on Israeli citizens who are causing violence in the West Bank. Shortly thereafter, Belgium made the same statement. The United Kingdom has also condemned the violence of extremist settlers and called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted.
In response, Israeli settlers said that only a small number of people were committing violence.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
In order to maintain its alliance system in the Arab world, especially in the context of the current dire situation in Gaza and the West Bank, the United States also has to react to the atrocities committed by the ultra-Jewish settlers in the West Bank against the Palestinian people, which should be a minimal response, and the visa restrictions are not as good as the reactions of some European countries, it is more trying to encircle the regional allies of the Arab countries, and I think this is a show. ”part.
In this situation, the mood throughout the West Bank is depressed. Fear, insecurity, and hatred are growing. The usually lively streets are quiet, and the shops are filled with Korans mourning the dead.
In the past few days, strikes and demonstrations have continued, and the people's dissatisfaction with the Palestinian National Liberation Organization has further increased.
Niu Xinchun, professor at the Institute of Chinese Arab States Studies, Ningxia University:
Before the crisis erupted, clashes between Palestinians and Israeli military and police in the West Bank had killed more than 200 people, more than the number of deaths in the West Bank in all of last year. The situation was already tense, but now that the incident in Gaza has happened, many people in the West Bank are dissatisfied with the current regime, and many people believe that the path of peace talks is not going to work, so they are inclined to support the armed struggle. ”
This land has been tormented by friction and conflict for nearly a century. Open the map, and the reasons for the conflict may be glimpsed one or two.
The West Bank, located west of the Jordan River, has a total area of 5,879 square kilometers. The total population is nearly 3 million, of which nearly 20% are Jews of Israeli origin. The map of the area is a chaotic one, with Palestinian towns and villages and Israeli settlements being divided into different colors.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
At present, the West Bank has been divided into 165 large and small blocks, whether viewed from the satellite ** or from the Israeli administrative map, like a mosaic. The 165 blocks are separated from each other by the Israeli-built separation wall, but the Jewish settlements in Israel are fully connected to the entire Israeli territory. ”
These settlements are scattered throughout the West Bank, causing a lot of trouble for the local Palestinians.
Niu Xinchun, professor at the Institute of Chinese Arab States Studies, Ningxia University:
The great dilemma is that these points of certainty are scattered across the West Bank, and Palestinians are moving from one village to another, seemingly close together, but separated by the wall and checkpoints. Many people in the West Bank work in Israel, go to work at 8 a.m., and may have to leave home at 12 p.m., because there are many checkpoints on the way, and each checkpoint has to get out of the car, put your hand on your head, lean on the car, have the military police to check it, and the trunk has to be opened. ”
Residents of Palestinian communities in the southern West Bank city of Hebron still need to provide registration and certification to enter and exit from their homes, and many areas of the city are off-limits to Palestinians. The entire city is divided into two zones, H1 and H2, and the areas that are off-limits to Palestinians are marked on the official Israeli map as "no-go zones", which some see as racially discriminatory.
Yao Jinxiang, special expert of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies of Tsinghua University:
The main feature of the city of Hebron is that there is a large Jewish ghetto in the center, and Jews and Palestinians are strictly separated, they use different license plates, and they use different lanes. Sometimes there would be long, large-scale curfews at night to protect the safety of the Jews. Therefore, such a strict policy of isolation has also led to the continuous expansion of the conflict between Palestine and Israel. ”
Fadel's ancestors lived in Hebron, and since the 80s of the last century, Israel has built a checkpoint in front of his house, and since then he has to register his name and ID number to enter and exit.
Resident of the Hebron area of the West Bank Fadel:
As you can see, registration is required every day. My daughter is married, and only she can come back to see her, not her husband. ”
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
In the Palestinian communities, which have been divided into 165 large and small communities by Israel, there are no barriers to the connection between the Palestinian people. But if you leave your own community, you will be subjected to strict Israeli inspections, and if you are not careful, you may be abused or shot by the Israeli military and police, and this kind of thing happens very often. ”
In addition to restricting travel, Palestinian communities have been equipped with tens of thousands of cameras. Israel has called Hebron in the West Bank a "smart city," a euphemism for the sophisticated surveillance system and facial recognition that dots the city's corners.
Tamar's home is near an Israeli settlement, and a few years ago, Israeli soldiers broke into her roof and installed cameras.
Tamar, a resident of the Hebron area of the West Bank
I can't describe the pressure coming from all sides, the settlers on this side and the cameras on the other. No matter where we are, we feel like we're being watched. ”
Today, more than 500,000 Israeli Jews live in these sprawling settlements. There are clean streets, nice big houses, shopping malls, and even universities, and an American journalist once commented that if you stay here for ten minutes, you will think that you are in New Jersey. If asked why they came here, the settlers would reply that it was a great place to raise children with a well-developed education system and great country clubs. The scenery is beautiful, the quality of life is good, and there is nothing to do with politics here.
Palestinians and Israelis alike are already familiar with life under various "walls", which can be high concrete walls, barbed wire fences or fences. The "wall" is not only located in the interior of the West Bank, but also tightly encircles the nearly 400-kilometer Israeli border, separating Israelis from Palestinians. Why do "walls" exist, and how are they built?part.
Unlike Gaza, the West Bank is the land that Israelis aspire to.
This is the location of the ancient kingdom of Judea as recorded in the Bible, the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, promised to the Jews by God. With the Zionist movement, many devout Jews returned to their homeland. In 1947, the United Nations partition plan made it a Palestinian territory. Subsequently, dissatisfaction with the territorial division and the establishment of the State of Israel led to several wars in the Middle East. After the war, the West Bank was occupied by Jordan and Israel.
In particular, after Israel's resounding victory in 1967, there was a heated debate within Israel about how to deal with the West Bank, and this is when the Aron plan emerged. The plan envisages Israel's use of the West Bank as a barrier, the establishment of settlements in the West Bank, and the reduction of the Arab countries' ability to launch offensives.
Yao Jinxiang, special expert of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies of Tsinghua University:
The Aron plan determines future Israeli policy decisions, especially on the issue of Jewish settlements. The first idea of the plan was that Israel had to establish a mono-ethnic state, so it wanted to strictly exclude Arabs or other nationalities. The second core idea is to create a security barrier or strategic buffer zone between Jews and Arabs, which refers to the Jordan Valley, which is rich in water and soil. It served as a natural water barrier and also facilitated the creation of a security barrier between Jews and Arabs. After the 1967 plan, the rather scattered and artificially spontaneous settlement of some Jews began to become a more active act of the state. ”
In the decades that followed, there was growing support for the settler movement among Israel** factions. Israel took the initiative to allocate public resources and issue building permits, and Israel's military began to plan how to build the West Bank. A large number of roads and bridges have been built in the West Bank, connecting Israel to the West Bank. The settler movement evolved from individual acts to an Israeli state system, establishing settlements in the West Bank and legitimizing it in Israel.
Yao Jinxiang, special expert of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies of Tsinghua University:
After the State adopted a law recognizing such immigrants, large-scale construction of buildings and residential areas was carried out. After the establishment of relevant settlements, Israel** will also establish a number of military bases and military facilities in the surrounding area to protect the safety of settlers. At the same time, it will also promote the construction of some road transportation to connect different Jewish settlements, ensure their normal communication and communication, and prohibit any Palestinians from entering these Jewish settlements, and even use the transportation network of these connections, so as to ensure the absolute safety of local Jews. ”
Since the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, Israel has built more than 130 settlements and some 140 settlement outposts. The arrival of settlers often means that the indigenous people are driven out.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
There are a number of right-wing settlements in the West Bank, especially with Jewish religious backgrounds, that are sometimes very brutal towards the Palestinian population. For example, they have torn down their houses, uprooted the fruit trees they have planted, and sometimes even shot at the Palestinian people at random. ”
Twenty-six years after the Aron plan, Israel signed the Oslo Accords with Palestine in accordance with the purposes set out in the Aron plan.
According to the consensus, the West Bank is divided into three parts, and Area A is under the control of the Palestinian National Liberation Organization, which occupies about 18 per cent of the West Bank, and is the center of activity for the majority of Palestinians and the area where Palestinians have autonomy. Area B is designated for Palestinian control, while retaining Israeli security control, which means that Israeli forces still exist, and Area B occupies about 22% of the West Bank. Area C remains fully under the control of the Israeli army and**, covering about 60 per cent of the West Bank.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
Whether it is Area A, Area B, or Area C, they are in fact under the absolute control of Israel. For example, all land construction plans in the West Bank must be approved by the Israeli side, and the Palestinian side cannot pay taxes and taxes itself, and Israel collects them on its behalf, and the Israeli side controls water, electricity, and networks. This has led to a situation of bullying the weak by the strong, which is embodied in all aspects of the lives of the Palestinian people. ”part.
After the Oslo Accords, the second major Palestinian intifada broke out in the West Bank, which lasted for several years. The intifada, led by Hamas, used suicide attacks on Israeli civilians, targeting cars, restaurants and hotels. The intifada killed some 1,330 Israelis, compared with 3,330 on the Palestinian side.
Yao Jinxiang, special expert of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies of Tsinghua University:
After the second Palestinian intifada, Israel began to build a massive separation wall, about seven or eight meters high, and stretched for hundreds of kilometers, covering almost all the major Israeli and Palestinian settlements in the West Bank. ”
In 2019, in an effort to win over right-wing voters, Netanyahu announced for the first time that he would annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank to Israeli territory if he succeeded. And after coming to power, Netanyahu's pace of annexation was the fastest in the history of the occupation.
Yao Jinxiang, special expert of the Center for Strategic and Security Studies of Tsinghua University:
The expansion of Jewish settlements was a central policy of Netanyahu's campaign promises. In February of this year, Israel passed a bill to legalize nine illegal settlements, which also caused a large degree of repercussions and ** around the world at that time. From February to October, almost all of the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts were closely related to the establishment and expansion of settlements. ”
The accelerated pace of occupation has sparked more clashes between Palestinians and extremist Israeli settlers. According to United Nations statistics, in the first six months of this year, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the West Bank has killed 147 Palestinians and 23 Israeli soldiers. In July of this year, Jenin was hit by Israel's biggest attack in 20 years.
Middle East expert Dong Manyuan:
There are two political parties in Israel, a religious party led by Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich, and a religious party led by Israeli Minister Ben Gvir. Why are Jewish settlement settlers in the West Bank so rampant?These two parties are behind them. Netanyahu had to compromise with the two small parties in order to cobble together **. ”
In this context, the Palestinian National Authority's public opinion base has further declined. According to a survey conducted by the Palestinian Policy and Public Opinion Research Center in June this year, 63 percent of Palestinians believe that the existence of the Palestinian National Authority is only beneficial to Israel, and 50 percent believe that the dissolution of the Palestinian National Authority is in the best interests of the Palestinians. As many as 71 percent of Palestinian respondents support the formation of armed groups that are independent of the Palestinian Authority, and 80 percent oppose their disbandment.
Taiwanese political and economic commentator Tsai Zhengyuan:
The older generation will inevitably get tired of the long-term struggle with Israel, and they believe that there is no hope of continuing the struggle, so they will be more inclined to use reconciliation to provide their children and grandchildren with a little more livelihood security. But the younger generation of voters, especially Palestinians, grew up in poverty, felt that life was not expected, and it was difficult to emigrate to other countries. For them, the only thing that can change their fate is to obey the armed struggle of Hamas against Israel and Abbas**, which can help them find a new hope. ”
As the fighting continues, the humanitarian catastrophe is becoming more serious and widespread. The Netanyahu government is the first Israel** in history to annex the occupied West Bank land from the level of sovereignty, and the West Bank, which has complex historical entanglements and realistic living space has been squeezed, is also burning more and more in this war. Will there be a third major intifada in the West Bank?This has sparked great anxiety about the Middle East, as well as global security.
Producer: Song Yang.
Choreographer: Shasha.
Editor: Wang Jinjie.