While the media are ignoring events in the occupied territories of Palestine it is important to understand that the status quo of Palestinian Authority (PA) compliance with the Israeli occupation forces is now seriously challenged. Even the Israeli newspaper, the Jerusalem Post has run a story: “The Lions’ Den, Other Palestinian Groups are Endless Headache for Israel, PA.” recognising this new reality.
“The Lions’ Den” referred to is a new non-politically affiliated organisation of Palestinian resistance whose strength and significance is built around the disaffected youth and some elements of the old Fatah and Hamas resistance which had refused to be integrated into the PA police.
Overtures by the PA and Fatah to get the new resistance to join ranks with them have been rejected. This highlights the massive schism which now exists between the failed policies of old guard now seen as serving the interests of Israel rather than those of the people. The new generation grew up under occupation and apartheid and have seen how fragmented ineffective resistance divided by ideologies and factions have achieved nothing to prevent illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian lands ever expanding to be populated now by some 700,000 Jewish immigrants.
With settlements effectively used as ever more Israeli annexations of Palestinian land, this popular uprising has seen through the pretence of past peace negotiations and have had enough of the occupation troops, attacking, assassinating, crushing protests and laying siege on rebellious towns and refugee camps. Both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority are equally worried about the prospect of a widespread armed revolt in the Occupied West Bank led by the newly formed Nablus-based brigade of the Lions’ Den being the epicentre of this youth-led movement.
The group has been active in responding to the killing of Palestinians, including children, elders, and, on October 14, even a Palestinian doctor, Abdullah Abu al-Teen, who succumbed to his wounds in Jenin. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, over 170 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Gaza, since the beginning of this year as the Israel “Defence” Forces ramp up their response to this new resistance. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed, one in Shuafat on October 8, and the other near Nablus on October 11.
It is clear that this growing armed resistance in the West Bank is the greatest threat to Israeli occupation since their invasion of major Palestinian West Bank cities in 2002.
If this resistance continues to grow at the pace so far evident, it could threaten the very existence of the PA and with it, Israel’s means of control of every aspect of the lives of the occupied.
While Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz claimed that the Lions’ Den is a mere “group of 30 members”, who will eventually be reached and eliminated, the major deployment of forces and effective blockades of Nablus and Jenin underline how seriously the uprising is being taken.
As journalist, author and Editor of the Palestinian Chronical Ramzy Baroud wrote: “Palestinians are simply fed up with the Israeli occupation and with their collaborating leadership. They are ready to put it all on the line, in fact, in Jenin and Nablus, they already have. The coming weeks and months are critical for the future of the West Bank, and, in fact, for all Palestinians”.