Israeli military clears Jenin camp and builds permanent base
Israeli forces have cleared the Jenin refugee camp, displaced thousands of Palestinians, and are building a permanent military base in the West Bank.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Israeli military has cleared the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, forcing out thousands of Palestinian residents and leaving the area a ghost town. The camp, which once housed 13,000 people, is now empty apart from wild dogs, with checkpoints and barbed wire sealing off the perimeter.
Israel says the camp was a crucible for terrorism and crime, and began tearing it apart 18 months ago. Now, on a ridge above the cleared area, the military is building its first permanent base in Palestinian-controlled West Bank territory since the 1990s. Residents who remain, like Othman, say their homes have been wrecked by military tractors and set on fire. He believes the army is here to stay.
The camp was originally a refugee camp for people displaced in 1948, but had grown into a permanent cityscape of homes, shops and businesses. Families who fled are now living in displacement centres a few miles away, often in a single room. Randa, who ran a large supermarket and owned a comfortable house, now has nothing; her home and business were reduced to rubble and used to build a road.
In a sign of the changing power dynamic, Israeli flags have appeared in the city, put up in the past 24 hours after a settlement was reopened. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned what he called the criminal actions of a handful of rioters following weeks of settler violence in the West Bank, but the military operation in Jenin continues.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| Israel is building its first permanent military base in Palestinian-controlled West Bank territory since the 1990s. | |
| Israeli military evacuated 13,000 people from Jenin camp and set up checkpoints and barbed wire around its perimeter. | |
| Netanyahu condemned settler violence in the West Bank. | |
| Some displaced residents from Jenin have been housed in temporary displacement centers a few miles away. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This broadcast focuses on the human impact of the military operation, with detailed reporting from the ground. It highlights the ghost town atmosphere, the destruction of homes, and the displacement of families, as well as the construction of a permanent military base. The tone is sympathetic to the Palestinian residents and emphasises the permanence of the Israeli presence.
- “It's a ghost town. The only residents are the wild dogs.”
- “It doesn't look like they're ever going to leave, they keep telling us they will leave month after month, but they keep postponing it.”
- “It's a real statement of intent.”
This broadcast leads with Netanyahu's condemnation of settler violence before turning to the Jenin report. It provides political context for the military operation, but the report itself is cut short. The focus is on the ongoing displacement and the military's control, but with less detail on the human stories compared to the other broadcast.
- “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has condemned the criminal actions of what he describes as a handful of rioters”
- “the Israeli military has been gradually clearing out Palestinian residents, over the past 18 months, while settlers move in”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.