From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 3, 2023
IDF West Bank chief: Operation aims to ‘change the situation’ in Jenin
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
In a missive to troops, the chief of the military’s West Bank division says the goal of the major operation in Jenin is to “change the situation” in the West Bank city.
“The city of Jenin, and in particular the refugee camp, is a stronghold of terror that exports terrorism to the entire [West Bank] and the home front,” says Brig. Gen. Avi Blot.
“In the eyes of the enemy, the refugee camp has become a ‘refuge city’ and the IDF’s freedom of action in the area is challenged,” he says.
“We are heading into this operation to change the situation and expand our freedom of action. Our mission: to create operational control, thwart and arrest terrorists, destroy enemy infrastructure, and confiscate weapons,” Blot says.
Blot refers to the operation by name, calling it Bayit Vagan, literally Home and Garden.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit has said that the operation has no official name, despite Blot’s internal letter.
