The Jenin refugee camp area in the occupied West Bank has echoed with the incessant sound of gunfire for more than a week. Masked snipers on rooftops, muffled explosions in winding alleyways: a war scenario that does not involve the Israeli army, which is used to carrying out raids against what it calls terrorists in this camp, a bastion of resistance to the Israeli occupation.
However, this conflict pits Palestinians themselves against each other: the security forces of the Palestinian Authority and militant groups aligned with Hamas, who accuse the Palestinian Authority of betraying the Palestinian cause to Israel.
The authority, backed by the West, has launched its largest security operation in years to dislodge the militant groups, in order to demonstrate its capacity to manage the security situation in the West Bank, hoping to take control of Gaza in the post-war period.
Yet the operation has only served to strengthen resistance and alienate many civilians living in the camp. Militants continue to control much of the camp, despite attempts by PA security forces to stop “outlaws” seeking to sow chaos.
Militant factions, including the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Qassam Brigades, view the Authority as an ally of Israel. The groups are grouped under the banner of the Jenin Battalion.
The violent clashes have already claimed lives on both sides, including civilians, security forces and militants. Tensions are rising in the area, already scarred by a series of Israeli violence and raids.
If the PA wants to expand its role in administering the Palestinian territories or hopes to retake Gaza, Jenin is a crucial test case. The region is also a theatre of Iranian influence among militant groups.
Iranian weapons have been seized near Jenin, raising concerns about Iran’s regional ambitions. Major challenges face the Palestinian Authority, torn between the need to preserve Palestinian unity and external pressures.
Ultimately, the situation in Jenin symbolises the internal and external conflicts that are hampering the Palestinian quest for independence and security. Political, geopolitical and humanitarian issues are intertwined in a climate of tension and violence, suggesting an uncertain future for the inhabitants of this troubled region.