Battle of Jenin (2002): Difference between revisions

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{{Campaignbox Al aqsa}}

The '''Battle of Jenin''' or the '''"Jenin Massacre"''' took place in April 2002 in the [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] [[refugee camp]] of Jenin. Referred to as "the [[martyrs]]' capital" by [[Fatah]]<ref>[http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/bu/jenin/jenin_e.htm Jenin: The Capital of the Palestinian Suicide Terrorists]</ref> Jenin was one of a number of other Palestinian cities, such as [[Nablus]] that were invaded, and often placed under siege as part of [[Israel]]'s [[Operation Defensive Shield]] during the [[Al Aqsa Intifada|Intifada]].

The '''Battle of Jenin''', previously dubbed as the '''"Jenin Massacre"''' (and also '''"Jeningrad"'''<ref>[http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/Jeningrad.html]</ref> based on a reference made by [[Yasser Arafat]]<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s546654.htm]</ref>), took place in April 2002 in [[Jenin]]'s ("the [[martyrs]]' capital" according to [[Fatah]]<ref>[http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/bu/jenin/jenin_e.htm Jenin: The Capital of the Palestinian Suicide Terrorists]</ref>) [[Palestinians|Palestinian]] [[refugee camp]] as part of [[Operation Defensive Shield]]. Following [[Al Aqsa Intifada|Intifada]] large-scale attacks by Palestinian [[militants]] on [[Israel]]i civilians, which culminated with the [[Passover Massacre|Passover Seder Massacre]] made on the [[Netanya]] Hotel in March 27, 2002<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/3/Passover%20suicide%20bombing%20at%20Park%20Hotel%20in%20Netanya Passover Massacre: Passover suicide bombing at Park Hotel in Netanya March 27, 2002]</ref> followed by six other suicide (bombings) attacks in a span of two weeks,<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/04/12/mideast/index.html Israel enters West Bank villages]</ref> Israel went on what it considered a [[counter-terrorist]] large-scale offensive conducted by the [[Israel Defence Forces]] (IDF).<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches%20by%20Israeli%20leaders/2002/Statements%20by%20PM%20Sharon%20and%20DM%20Ben-Eliezer%20at%20pres Statements by Israeli PM Sharon and DM Ben-Eliezer 29 Mar 2002]</ref>

Five days after Palestinian [[militants]] carried out what Israelis have since dubbed the [[Passover Massacre|Passover Seder Massacre]] at the [[Netanya]] Hotel<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/3/Passover%20suicide%20bombing%20at%20Park%20Hotel%20in%20Netanya Passover Massacre: Passover suicide bombing at Park Hotel in Netanya March 27, 2002]</ref>, Israel targeted Jenin afteras part of what it considered to be a large-scale [[counter-terrorist]] offensive.<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches%20by%20Israeli%20leaders/2002/Statements%20by%20PM%20Sharon%20and%20DM%20Ben-Eliezer%20at%20pres Statements by Israeli PM Sharon and DM Ben-Eliezer 29 Mar 2002]</ref> The [[Israel Defence Forces]] (IDF) spokesman charged that the cityJenin had "served as a launching site for numerous terrorist attacks against both Israeli civilians and Israeli towns and villages in the area."<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/4/Jenin-s%20Terrorist%20Infrastructure%20-%204 Apr 2002 Jenin's Terrorist Infrastructure 4 Apr 2002 (Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)]</ref> Palestinian sourcesofficials claimed that the camp and its dwellings were attacked indiscriminately by Israel with heavy military equipment, combat helicopters, rockets and missiles.<ref>[http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ar&u=http://www.jenincamp.plo.ps/spot/spot.html Jenin Camp Official Web Site ''(Google Translated)''], ([http://www.jenincamp.plo.ps/spot/spot.html Source)] {{Languageicon|ar|Arabic}})])</ref> and raised allegations of massacres.

According to a [[United Nations]] report, the number of Palestinians killed was at least 52.<ref>[http://www.un.org/peace/jenin/ UN Report of the Secretary-General on un.org]</ref> The [[Israel Defense Forces]]IDF and [[Human Rights Watch]] also estimate the number at 52, although their designation of combatants differs (IDF counts 38 "armed men", HRW counts 30 "militants").<ref>[http://hrw.org/reports/2002/israel3/israel0502-01.htm#P49_1774 HRW Summary on hrw.org]</ref> Palestinian Fatah investigators claimed the death toll is 56, announced by Kadoura Moussa, the Fatah director for the Northern West Bank. At least 23 Israeli soldiers were also killed.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2165272.stm BBC: UN says no massacre in Jenin]</ref> A section of the camp was also destroyed during the fighting, and explosives were detonated by both sides.

The battle attracted widespread international attention. dueThere towere persistent Palestinian claims of [[war crimes]] and [[genocide]], and vastly inflated reports on body counts by both Israeli and Palestinian officials.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/04/11/wedeman.otsc/index.html CNN: Access to Jenin difficult/Palestinians are reporting 500 dead]</ref> Journalists worldwide were banned by the IDF from entering the camp during the fighting, yet many of them reportedrepeated reports that a [[massacre]] of Palestinian civilians may have taken place during the fighting, and claims that hundreds, or even thousands, of bodies had been secretly buried in [[mass grave]]s by the IDF were spread.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0204/12/lt.01.html CNN Transcripts: Fierce Fighting Continues in Jenin/Stories of mass graves]</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Evidence and reality collide in a battle of words/43-year-old Muiassar Abu Ali interview|publisher=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=16 April 2002||url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/04/15/1018333482108.html?oneclick=true}}</ref><ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/04/13/wmid213.xml 'Hundreds of victims 'were buried by bulldozer in mass grave'/Daud, a claimed witness, testifies.' (Telegraph.co.uk)]</ref> These allegations were aired widely in the [[Arab world]], inciting extreme antipathy toward Israel.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0204/12/bn.17.html CNN Transcripts: Interview With Adel Al-Jubeir/Saudi Arabian response]</ref> Due to this activity,Some critics in [[Western world|the West]] namewho suspect cynical motives behind the eventsinflated asbody count figures have dubbed the events the '''"Big Jenin Lie"'''.<ref>[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/218vnicq.asp]</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-cohen041602.asp]</ref>

[[United States Secretary of State]] [[Colin Powell]] visited Jenin during the month of the battle, and upon returning to the States testified to a congressional panel that there was no evidence of mass graves or a massacre.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0204/25/ltm.14.html Colin US Secratery of State Powell: I've seen no evidence that would suggest a massacre took place.]</ref> Several months later, the UN concluded an investigation into the events and found claims of a "massacre" to be baseless. [[Human Rights Watch]] found no evidence for a massacre, but said "Israeli forces committed serious violations of [[international law|international humanitarian law]], some amounting ''prima facie'' to [[war crime]]s." The human rights organization also criticized Palestinian militants for having endangered the lives of Palestinian civilians in part by "intermingling" with them. An investigation by [[Time (magazine)|Time]] "concludes that there was no wanton massacre in Jenin, no deliberate slaughter of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/2002/jenin/story.html TIME.com Inside the Battle of Jenin]</ref>