Arab MK marks 5-year anniversary of Operation Defensive Shield
Five years after IDF operation in Jenin, dozens of gunmen march through streets of refugee camp dressed up in suicide explosive belts and wearing IDF uniforms; Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi calls for end to occupation
Dozens of armed men participated on Tuesday in a procession marking five years since the IDF's Operation Defensive Shield, during which over 50 Palestinians were killed in the Jenin refugee camp.
Among the participants were Islamic Jihad members dressed up as suicide bombers and children wearing military uniforms and carrying real firearms. Speakers at the event included Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) and Zakariya Zbeidi, a senior official in Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
In his address, MK Tibi said, "The Palestinian people wants peace, which must be based on freedom achieved through an end to the occupation… Specifically on the Passover holiday, I say to the Israelis that freedom is the right of every nation, including a nation that is under foreign occupation and rule."
Armed children and adults wearing exlosive belts march in Jenin (Photo: AP)
At the event, the governor of Jenin, Kadura Musa, presented MK Tibi with a certificate thanking him for standing with the people of Jenin during the 2002 fighting. Tibi toured the section of the camp in which damaged houses have been rebuilt, commenting that "the contribution of the United Arab Emirates was noble and made possible the reconstruction of scores of houses… 480 houses were destroyed and all of them have been rebuilt."
Tibi also referred to recent intra-Palestinian tensions. "The internal confrontation in Gaza is shameful," he said, adding that "everyone must stand behind the Arab peace initiative, which is the best option for peace in the area."
Tibi criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel for not demonstrating sufficient understanding for the suffering of the Palestinian people, and for her refusal to comment on the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, many of them being held without trial. Tibi noted that Merkel refused to visit Bethlehem, missing an opportunity to observe up close the damage being done by the separation fence.
Zbeidi called on the leaders of the Arab countries not to waive any of the rights of the Palestinian people. A representative of the non-profit organizations working in Jenin and nearby areas thanked the United Arab Emirates for its contribution to rebuilding houses in the Jenin refugee camp.
The densely populated Jenin refugee camp, situated next to the town of Jenin, is considered a hotbed of Palestinian extremism and produced more than 20 suicide bombers.
In April 2002, dozens of IDF soldiers were killed in house-to-house fighting in the camp. Much of the battle was concentrated in a small area in the center of the camp, measuring just 200 feet by 200 feet, in which several hundred gunmen were holed up, according to IDF estimates.
During Operation Defensive Shield, the IDF also sent forces into Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem and blockaded the residence of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat.
