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fighting the war as if there are no negotiations, and
negotiating as if there is no war
Avi Melamed

It is dangerous to be found in the company of God's enemies

Operation Defensive Shield

Israel executed Operation Defensive Shield in April 2002, reoccupying West Bank cities and besieging President of the Palestinian National Authority Yasser Arafat’s compound in Ramallah in the est Bank. Operation Defensive Shield was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2002 during the Second Intifada. The operation, which took place from March 29 to April 21, 2002, was primarily focused on the West Bank. Its primary objectives were to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure of various Palestinian militant groups, particularly Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, which had carried out numerous attacks against Israeli civilians.

The operation was triggered by a series of deadly suicide bombings, including the attack on the Park Hotel in Netanya on March 27, 2002, which killed 30 Israeli civilians during a Passover Seder. It was the largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War, involving tens of thousands of Israeli troops. The operation targeted major Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm.

The IDF besieged the Mukataa, the headquarters of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah. One of the most intense and controversial battles occurred in the Jenin refugee camp, resulting in significant casualties and extensive destruction. Thousands of Palestinians were arrested, and large caches of weapons and explosives were seized. The operation caused significant hardship for the Palestinian civilian population, including curfews, destruction of infrastructure, and restricted movement.

Operation Defensive Shield drew widespread international criticism. Human rights organizations expressed concerns over the use of excessive force and the humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians. The United Nations and various countries called for investigations into alleged human rights abuses. The operation succeeded in reducing the frequency of suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks in Israel. It significantly weakened the operational capabilities of Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank. However, it also led to increased animosity and further entrenched the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Arab world remained indifferent, leading the Israelis to conclude that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, severe and crisis-ridden as it might be, does not factor into the Arab states’ deliberations as to launching a war against Israel, either individually or jointly.