Forced displacement... How does the occupation reshape Palestinian camps in the northern West Bank?
The Palestinian camps in the northern West Bank, especially in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, are witnessing systematic displacement operations aimed at forcibly changing the geography and demographics of Palestine. The Israeli occupation, through its military and settlement policies, seeks to dismantle these camps and reshape them in a way that serves its expansionist agenda, by demolishing houses and infrastructure, imposing siege, and forcibly displacing residents. These policies are not new, but they have escalated in recent years in an attempt to erase the national identity of the camps and weaken their role in resisting the occupation.
Symbol of Resilience.
Since their establishment after the Nakba of 1948, these camps have represented symbols of Palestinian resilience, where thousands of Palestinians who were expelled from their occupied lands sought refuge. However, the Israeli occupation has not ceased to target them, whether through ongoing military operations or through long-term policies aimed at changing their demographic nature. One of the most prominent manifestations of this change is the extensive demolition operations that the camps are experiencing, where the occupation forces destroy homes and infrastructure under the pretext of security, but in reality, they seek to bring about radical changes in the shape of the camps and their demographic composition.
Dismantling the camp.
In Jenin camp, recent years have witnessed intensive military operations that led to the destruction of entire neighborhoods, in an attempt to dismantle the camp and force its residents to leave. The occupation did not stop at demolition; it also worked on re-shaping the camp geographically by widening streets and altering its features, which facilitates its forces in carrying out incursions and reduces the ability of resistance fighters to move within the camp. In some cases, strategic buildings were targeted and demolished with the aim of dismantling the interconnected urban fabric, reflecting the occupation's intention to radically change the identity of the camp.
Suffocating siege.
In Tulkarm and Nur Shams, the same scenario was repeated, as the occupation imposed a suffocating siege on the camps, preventing the residents from entering and exiting freely; this led to tightening the noose on them economically and socially. In addition to this, occupation forces launched repeated military operations targeting the homes of resistance fighters and places where residents gathered, resulting in the displacement of many families.
The policy of demolition and repression goes hand in hand with widespread arrests, as dozens of Palestinian youths are detained; this leads to a deliberate demographic void, as active forces are removed from the camps, reducing the number of residents capable of resistance.
In just 40 days, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from the camps of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams, in one of the largest displacement operations witnessed in the West Bank in recent decades. The occupying forces have also demolished more than 380 homes, in addition to burning and destroying dozens of other houses, in an attempt to force residents not to return to the camps. These figures reflect the magnitude of the disaster facing the Palestinians and clearly demonstrate that what is happening is not merely military operations, but a calculated plan aimed at changing the demographic reality in northern Samaria.
Demographic change.
In addition, the occupation is trying to impose a gradual demographic change by creating unbearable living conditions within the camps, which drives the residents to seek other places to live outside of them. Under this pressure, the number of Palestinians forced to leave the camps is increasing, either to neighboring villages or to other cities within the West Bank. This policy serves the goal of the occupation in reducing the population density within the camps, and thus weakening the resilient social structure that has long been an obstacle to its expansionist projects.
Re-planning.
Israel seeks to impose permanent changes to the layout of the camps through redevelopment projects aimed at transforming them into areas unable to support resistance.
The occupation uses pretexts such as improving infrastructure or facilitating movement within the camps, but in reality, it seeks to dismantle their urban nature that provides a conducive environment for Palestinian struggle. This is done by widening streets, removing narrow alleys, and building separation walls within the camps, which changes their traditional character and makes them more susceptible to surveillance and military control.
We are committed to staying.
The occupation seeks not only to suppress armed resistance but also to reshape these areas so that they lose their historical role as centers of Palestinian struggle. Despite these attempts, Palestinians remain committed to staying in their camps, affirming that forced displacement will not succeed in erasing their national identity. However, with the continuation of these policies, the greatest challenge remains how to confront this change and stop the plans aimed at emptying the camps of their inhabitants and weakening the Palestinian cause in the long term.
