Israel will continue broad military raids targeting terrorists in Palestinian cities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, visiting the IDF’s forward base for commanding the operation in Jenin on Tuesday.
Netanyahu praised IDF soldiers for destroying “many terrorist infrastructures” in Jenin, preventing many terrorist attacks.
“In these moments we are completing the mission, and I can say that our broad action in Jenin is not a one-time thing,” he stated. “We will continue as much as necessary to cut off terrorism. We will not allow Jenin to become a haven for terrorism.”
The prime minister referred to the car-ramming and shooting attack by a Palestinian in Tel Aviv earlier that day.
“Today there was a criminal terrorist attack in Tel Aviv that was stopped because an armed civilian intervened,” Netanyahu said. “Without such an intervention, the attack could have taken many lives...Whoever thinks such an attack will deter us from continuing to fight against terrorism is mistaken.”
Anyone who thinks a terrorist attack will stop Israel from fighting “does not know the spirit of the State of Israel, does not know our government, our citizens and our soldiers,” he added.
An EU official said that Brussels “is following closely the…operation in Jenin, which Israeli authorities say is targeting terrorist infrastructure in the area. We are also following with concern the reports of a potential escalation from Gaza after…The EU is fully committed to the security of Israel and condemns terrorism.”
At the same time, the official said: “We urge all parties to refrain from actions that can fuel tensions, and to take immediate steps towards de-escalation, in order to prevent further loss of life and end the deadly cycle of violence. It is crucial to work towards a political horizon that can create hope.”
International reactions to the situation in Jenin
The EU expressed concern about the high number of casualties this year and underlined the need to protect civilians and use proportionate force in line with international law.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed support for Israel's right to self-defense and condemned Palestinian terrorist attacks in response to questions in Parliament.
However, he "called on Israel to adhere to principles of necessity and proportionality when defending their legitimate security interests."
The German Federal Foreign Office expressed "great concern" about the situation.
"We condemn today's terrorist attack in Tel Aviv in the strongest possible terms," a Foreign Office spokesperson said. "Like every state, Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism."
However, Berlin added that "the principle of proportionality under international law must be observed during the Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp, which has been going on for two days. The protection of civilians must always be the top priority, and adequate access for humanitarian workers must be ensured.
Germany called for all sides to "calm the tense security situation and prevent further violence" and said that only a political solution can address the causes of the violence.
Sunak added that "the protection of civilians must be prioritized in any military operation, and we urge the IDF to demonstrate restraint in its operation and for all parties to avoid further escalation in both the West Bank and Gaza, both now and in the days ahead."
The IDF launched its largest raid on Jenin since the Second Intifada early Monday, with airstrikes and infantry in the northern Samaria city. The Palestinian Authority lost security control of Jenin over the past six months, and the city turned into a launching pad for many recent terrorist attacks.