Tulkarm.. Israel's soft underbelly and popular incubator for resistance | News

In conjunction with the Israeli war on Gaza strip Continuing for 10 months, the occupation army continues to escalate its military operations in West BankFocusing on the camps for the displaced, especially the city of Tulkarm And its two camps, Nur Shams and Tulkarm, which had the lion's share of Israeli incursions and attacks during the past two months.

Last Saturday, the Israeli occupation army assassinated 9 Palestinians in an airstrike on two vehicles in Tulkarm, followed by a military operation in the city, from which it had withdrawn a few days ago.

The latest operation is part of a series of military operations carried out by the Israeli army in Tulkarm and its two camps, coinciding with the start of its war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, which led to the martyrdom of 131 Palestinians, the injury of dozens, and the arrest of hundreds, according to official Palestinian figures.

After the Israeli army withdrew, the streets and alleys of the Tulkarm camps appeared destroyed, despite the restoration work after the end of the operations.

Local residents said that the Tulkarm camps had turned into a pile of rubble, as if an earthquake had struck them.

These residents pointed out that many houses in the camp were damaged or completely destroyed, while the streets appear destroyed, and residents suffer from interruptions in water, electricity, telephone networks, and sewage services.

soft side

Regarding the reasons for the repeated raids and targeting of Tulkarm by the Israeli army, Palestinian researcher and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Khadouri University in Tulkarm, Suleiman Al-Zuhairi, said that Tulkarm is considered Israel’s soft underbelly.

He explained, “Tulkarm and its camps are the closest to the Israeli depth, as they are located adjacent to the separation wall with Israel, which has always put them in a state of resistance.”

He added, “From here, the occupation and its settlers began to demonize Tulkarm, as we hear calls from time to time to turn Tulkarm into ruin and destruction.”

Al-Zuhairi pointed out that the Israeli authorities fear a repetition of what happened on October 7 in other Israeli cities and settlements starting from Tulkarm, so Tel Aviv seeks to kill the resistance fighters there, in an attempt to crush the struggle of its residents against the occupation.

On October 7, Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip launched an attack on Israeli military bases and settlements near the Strip as part of an operation called “Al-Aqsa Flood” with the aim of ending the unjust siege on Gaza and thwarting Israel’s plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause and impose its sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al-Zuhairi pointed out that the military struggle of the resistance, which began in the Jenin camp in the northern West Bank and moved to Tulkarm – coinciding with the war on Gaza – escalated significantly, as youth groups and a generation that does not fear confrontation became involved in it.

He considered that the people of Tulkarm are bound by a spirit of unity, and constitute a popular incubator for the resistance, in which all factions work together.

He continued, “The residents of the Nur Shams and Tulkarm camps formed a popular incubator for the resistance, which made it difficult for the occupation to get rid of them and end the struggle there.”

isolating area

The Israeli separation wall separates Tulkarm from Israel, and along its length there are gates and military points of the Israeli occupation army, which have become a target for resistance operations from time to time.

In response, as Al-Zuhairi says, the occupation began to create a buffer zone between Tulkarm and the separation wall, sometimes 400 meters deep, cutting it off from the lands of Palestinian citizens.

He pointed out that the occupation has bulldozed large areas in those lands, and is shooting at anyone who approaches them, as farmers are not allowed to reach their lands.

He attributed this to Israel's attempt to prevent any attack or shooting operations against its cities and settlements near Tulkarm.

He said that the Israeli occupation is now living in a state of fear of a repeat of what happened on October 7, 2023.

Resistance is not afraid of confrontation

Despite the Israeli persecution in Tulkarm, the resistance fighters from various Palestinian factions who are active there are not afraid to confront the occupation.

Regarding this, a resistance fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), who is active in Tulkarm camp, said, “The jihadist work will continue as long as the occupation exists, and when one of our leaders is killed, someone else will come to complete the path, and this is our duty.”

The resistance fighter, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, added, “We are preparing for the occupation all possible explosive devices used in ambushes, locally made hand grenades, and direct clashes with the forces.”

Despite the limited capabilities, the resistance fighter asserts, “We will win or be martyred. We are all on this path. We are not afraid of Israeli marches or others. We lie in wait for the enemy in the alleys and in every place where he is not expected.”

He pointed out that the secret of their strength lies in the popular support in the camps that embrace them and provide them with shelter.

In the same camp, a resistance fighter from the Al-Quds Brigades, affiliated with the Islamic Jihad Movement, named Ghaith Radwan, said, “This army cannot storm the camps without armored vehicles and air cover, and despite that, the explosive devices are waiting for them, and we are achieving direct hits on the vehicles and the ranks of the forces.”

He added, “The occupation is adopting a policy of aerial bombardment and striking the popular base by destroying the infrastructure and homes, but it fails every time and we are becoming stronger.”

He continued, “We proceed on the principle that what was taken by force can only be restored by force.”

Regarding the targeting of Tulkarm, Radwan said that Tulkarm and its camps have always been a thorn in the side of the occupation.

He stressed that “the resistance fighter is not afraid of confrontation. Every time a martyr is killed, others take his place. We are all potential martyrs.”

Last month, the Qassam Brigades broadcast a video documenting the implementation of three shooting and bombing operations against Israeli vehicles and buses around Tulkarm.