After announcing a widespread crackdown against West Bank terrorists on Jan. 21, Israeli forces descended on the city of Jenin which as a long history of being a haven for Palestinian terrorists.
But unlike past operations, Israeli forces then pushed deeper and more forcefully into several other nearby towns.
The Israeli army blamed terrorists for embedding themselves in civilian infrastructure. Soldiers may be “required to operate from civilian homes for varying periods," it said, adding that the destruction of civilian property was a violation of the military's rules and does not conform to its values.
It said “any exceptional incidents that raise concerns regarding a deviation from these orders” are “thoroughly addressed,” without elaborating.
