Defense Minister Israel Katz: IDF is staying in Jenin - even after operation
The Defense Minister visited the Jenin area during the IDF operation there, saying that Israel has declared war on Palestinian terrorism in Judea and Samaria.


Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Jenin refugee camp today (Wednesday) together with multiple senior IDF officers as the IDF conducts its anti-terrorism operation.
The Defense Minister conducted a situational assessment on the ground, saying that Operation Iron Wall will expand to other terror bases and stressing that Israel must act with full force to implement a policy of eliminating terrorists and terrorist infrastructure in the camp, without a repeat or resurgence of terror once the operation is ended.
The Defense Minister spoke with commanders and soldiers and heard of how they found enormous amounts of weapons in the camp homes - "just like in Gaza" - and thanked them for their actions to protect Israeli settlement and citizens.
During the visit, Katz declared that "We have declared war on Palestinian terrorism in Judea and Samaria.
"Operation 'Iron Wall' aims to defeat the terrorist infrastructure built in Palestinian refugee camps, funded and armed by Iran.
"The IDF is operating with force in the Jenin refugee camp, thwarting terrorists and destroying terrorist infrastructure - as we saw here today. The Jenin refugee camp will not return to what it was. After completing the operation, IDF forces will remain in the camp to ensure terrorism does not return.
"I am sending a clear message to the Palestinian Authority: Stop funding terrorism and the murder of Jews, and start seriously fighting terrorism. Those who fund families of murderous terrorists and educate their children for the destruction of Israel - are endangering their very existence."
The Iron Wall-style operations have since been expanded to include Tulkarm, and Katz already said in response to a parliament question that the Jenin operation is meant to be a model for IDF operations in Judea and Samaria, with the aim of extirpating terrorism throughout the region rather than simply weakening it.