Jenin Camp Becomes Battleground in Israeli-Palestinian Power Struggle
The IDF and PA are trying—and failing—to maintain order in Jenin. The West Bank city has become a hub for extremist factions, particularly Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which use the refugee camp to orchestrate attacks against Israelis.
The Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) re-entry into the Jenin refugee camp this Tuesday as part of the Iron Wall operation has once again drawn global attention. This marks Israel’s second major incursion into the West Bank following the Summer Camps military operation on August 28, 2024.
The latest raid has reportedly caused widespread destruction and left at least 10 Palestinians dead and 35 injured, according to the Ramallah-based Health Ministry. Comparatively, the Summer Camps operation resulted in 25 reported Palestinian deaths and significant infrastructural damage. At that time, it raised questions about the escalating scale of violence within the West Bank.
Israeli officials justify the IDF’s actions by citing the inability of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to maintain order in Jenin. “Israel promoted this operation because of the failure of the PA,” Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center, told The Media Line. “The PA’s two-month operation yielded almost zero achievements. We cannot rely on them entirely,” he added.
The IDF argues that Jenin has become a hub for extremist factions, particularly Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which they claim use the refugee camp to orchestrate attacks against Israelis.
This is not a fight against militants alone; it is a war against our people
The operations’ heavy-handed nature, however, has sparked outrage. Among the recent casualties reported was a child. Citing the disproportionate impact of these operations, Anwar Rajab, the official PA spokesman, told The Media Line that “this is not a fight against militants alone; it is a war against our people and a way for Israel to take control over our territory. For this reason, we must show we oversee it.”
In the months leading up to this week’s Iron Wall operation, the PA launched its own campaigns to reclaim control over Jenin. These operations aimed to dismantle armed factions and restore order but resulted in significant bloodshed. An estimated 26 Palestinians were killed during these efforts, including Shatha al-Sabbagh, a young journalist who was covering the events. Her death, caught on camera, became a symbol of the PA’s contentious methods.
“We are working to impose the rule of law,” Rajab argued. “This is what the Palestinian people demand: security, stability, and an end to lawlessness. Our efforts, while difficult, are aimed at ensuring a better future for all Palestinians,” he added.
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According to the PA, their operations have achieved important milestones, including pushing back the threat from extremist elements inside the Jenin camp, like the Jenin Brigades, while ensuring that the rest of the city remains stable. “We have faced immense challenges, but abandoning these efforts would only allow chaos to persist. Israel is bringing the real chaos here now, after we did our best to push inside the camps all threats to our stability,” Rajab stated.
However, critics contend that the PA’s operations often mirror Israeli tactics, leading to alienation among Palestinians. “The PA’s forces are not viewed as liberators but as collaborators with Israel,” remarked Milshtein. “They are losing credibility with each operation. The youth in Jenin, particularly Gen Z, sympathize with the Kata’ib [Islamic Jihad and Hamas] and hate them [the PA],” he added.
We deeply regret every innocent life lost, but we must act decisively to prevent further instability
The public’s anger is evident in the wake of al-Sabbagh’s death. Her grieving mother lambasted the PA, saying, “You claimed to bring order, but you brought chaos and took my daughter.” Rajab, while expressing condolences, defended the operations that unfolded the previous months, stating, “We deeply regret every innocent life lost, but we must act decisively to prevent further instability and the takeover of extremist factions all over.”
The Jenin refugee camp remains a microcosm of the broader Palestinian struggle. Armed factions, including Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Shuhada al-Aqsa, hold significant sway within the camp. “Inside Jenin, Islamic Jihad is the prominent player,” noted Milshtein. “Hamas is second, and Shuhada al-Aqsa is aligned more with these groups than with the PA. These forces are far more powerful than the PA ones but cannot take over ours [Israeli forces].”
He also pointed out that if the PA is perceived as weak and cannot deal with the issue on its own, this for sure becomes an “Israeli security problem.”
Hamas has explicitly declared its intention to make the West Bank the “second front” against Israel. “The West Bank is our next target,” proclaimed Hamas spokesperson Abu Ubaida. “Jenin will lead the jihad,” he added. This rhetoric, coupled with the PA’s waning control, creates an environment ripe for further violence over the upcoming months.
Jenin will lead the jihad
However, PA officials emphasized their ongoing commitment to stabilizing Jenin and the West Bank. “The West Bank will not become a second Gaza,” Rajab stated. “We are ready to take over in the future Gaza as well to ensure overall stability in Palestine,” he added.
Milshtein expressed doubt about the PA’s ability to reclaim authority in Jenin and Gaza. “The PA cannot even control Jenin at the moment, so for sure they are not fit to deal with Gaza,” he said.
The repeated Israeli incursions into Jenin highlight a failure of governance on multiple levels. The PA’s attempts to impose order have been marred by violence, with 26 lives lost, including civilians and journalists like al-Sabbagh. Meanwhile, Israel’s military operations exacerbate civilian suffering, deepen resentment, and leave infrastructure in ruins.
As Jenin’s future hangs in the balance, the PA faces immense challenges, from regaining public trust to countering the growing influence of armed groups. “We must rebuild trust with our people and demonstrate that the rule of law can prevail,” Rajab stressed. The international community’s role in mediating and fostering stability has never been more critical, yet the path to peace remains perilously unclear.
