Israeli soldiers walk behind a tank at the Jenin camp for Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank during a military operation. AFP
In a statement on Friday, Germany’s foreign ministry also urged Israel to “better protect civilians and civilian infrastructure” and allow the 40,000 people displaced to return home “as soon as possible.”
Israel launched a military assault across multiple Palestinian refugee camps near Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas days after a ceasefire in the Israeli war on Gaza was announced. Defence minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israeli forces would remain in the evacuated camps for months to “prevent the return of residents,” claiming the operation was aimed at combating terrorism.
Israel has repeatedly used such claims to justify the displacement of Palestinians and the seizure of their land.
Germany’s foreign ministry said the Israeli presence undermined the Palestinian Authority (PA), which “has full responsibility for security in Jenin” under the Oslo accords. “Israel’s actions are entrenching occupation structures... and destabilising an already extremely fragile security environment,” the statement added.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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