JENIN, West Bank — When Israeli snipers took positions in Haleemeh Zawaydeh’s neighborhood, the 63-year-old matriarch knew her family needed to leave quickly. With no time to pack, she and 14 other family members fled on foot amid the snipers’ gunfire. The invasion of Jenin was swifter than past Israeli assaults, and like approximately 37,000 other Palestinians displaced by the month-old offensive against militant groups in the occupied West Bank, Zawaydeh and her family are waiting to return.
However, it remains uncertain if Israel will allow their return. The assault has mainly emptied four refugee camps — sites that originally housed Palestinians driven from their homes in the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation and have since grown into densely built towns or neighborhoods. Across these four camps, troops have destroyed infrastructure, water, and electricity lines, and ripped up roads. The Israeli defense minister stated that troops are preparing to stay for a year and will prevent Palestinians from returning. This leaves thousands from the poorest areas of the West Bank in dire straits, with many forced to rent temporary housing in neighboring villages.
Zawaydeh said she is now safe at her shelter outside Jenin, but not at ease. “I was born and raised in the camp, and now I have grown up and I still live in the camp. There is no place that can replace the camp,” she stated. Regardless of her safety, Zawaydeh and her family long for their home.
This displacement has been the largest since the 1967 war. Many Palestinians are renting temporary housing or relying on friends or family for shelter, while others are staying in university dorms or makeshift shelters. Limited resources offer little help; the Palestinian Authority is financially constrained, and the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is hampered by Israeli legislation.
Israel’s crackdown also raises bitter memories of the 1948 war over Israel’s creation when 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled their homes. Forcible population transfers are banned under international law and could be considered war crimes if implemented as a policy. However, recent demolitions of homes in the camps continue, with reasons for the demolitions unclear.
The emptying of the West Bank camps comes as Israel’s government embraces U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for pushing out the population of the Gaza Strip permanently. Troops have demolished homes in the camps, with extensive damage reported in various areas. Shelters for the displaced have become overcrowded and rely heavily on donations. Many families have tried to return only to be blocked by the military.
The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by a lack of resources — the Palestinian Authority is not only fiscally limited but also widely unpopular, especially in the refugee camps. UNRWA faces increased challenges due to new Israeli laws banning interaction with the agency. Despite these hurdles, displaced Palestinians gather to protest against displacement, insisting that the right of return is sacred.
Source: https://time.com/7262676/displaced-palestinians-jenin-refugee-camps-israel-assault-occupied-west-bank/
