Three Palestinian Militants Killed in Israeli Raid Near Nablus

Facts

• During a large-scale raid on the Balata refugee camp outside the northern West Bank city of Nablus early on Monday, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian militants affiliated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which is the armed wing of Palestinian Pres. Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party.¹
• While the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that six people were also injured in the raid, the Israeli military reported that its forces came under fire after entering the camp. Three Palestinians were also arrested.²
• The military also said it located a laboratory containing large quantities of explosives that were to be used for attacks, reportedly destroying the site. An unverified video circulating online showed soldiers shooting a man in the back as he ran away after spotting them coming around a corner.³
• The day before the raid, Israel’s right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday, generating harsh criticism from Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia. Ben-Gvir said via Telegram that "Jerusalem is our soul."⁴
• Al-Aqsa, which is considered one of the holiest sites in Islam, is also considered a major holy site in Judaism and is often referred to as the Temple Mount. In May 2021, an 11-day conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas, which was sparked by confrontations at the site.⁵
• The situation in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank has steadily deteriorated in the last year, with 250 Palestinians being killed by Israeli fire since the spring of 2022 and approximately 50 Israelis killed by Palestinian attacks. Earlier this month, a short conflict broke out between militants in Gaza and Israel.²

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Associated Press, ³The Times of Israel, ⁴Arab News, and ⁵Al Jazeera.

Narratives

• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Israel is escalating the situation in the holy land to a fever pitch as it continues its cruel raids in the West Bank and its provocative gestures at Al-Aqsa. With extremists like Ben-Gvir holding key positions of power, Palestinians face unprecedented violence. Emboldened by international silence after killing more Palestinians last year than in any other calendar year since the Second Intifada, the occupation is becoming ever more violent.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel does everything it can to mitigate harm when it launches preventative raids in the West Bank to stop terrorist plots. Even though the Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, Israel maintains the status quo, as it has no interest in provoking the situation in the West Bank or Gaza. While the media focuses on Al Aqsa, terrorists continue to plan attacks on Israeli civilians.