Palestinian Security Force Member Killed in Clashes with Militants in West Bank‘s Jenin
JENIN, Palestine – A Palestinian security force member has been killed in clashes with militants in the occupied West Bank, marking the second such fatality amid ongoing violence in the Jenin area.
According to AFP, Monday (23/12/2024), the rare bout of violence between local militants and the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) security forces has been ongoing for nearly two weeks, sparked by arrests at the beginning of the month. The PA security force member was killed after being targeted by gunfire from cowardly criminals in the Jenin camp, according to PA security spokesman Anwar Rajab.
Tensions in Jenin, a frequent target of Israeli military operations, have escalated following the PA’s arrest of several activists and militants. The rival Fatah party, which dominates the PA, has condemned the arrests and accused the security forces of aiding Israel.
In addition to the two security personnel killed, three others have died since the clashes began on December 5: two civilians and a Jenin brigade commander. Jenin, located in the northern West Bank, serves as a base for armed Palestinian factions that view themselves as more effective resistance against Israeli occupation, distinct from the PA, which coordinates security matters with Israel.
The PA exercises partial administrative control over the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The violence in and around Jenin has contributed to an increase in Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023.
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