Israeli Bulldozers Silently Tear Through the West Bank
Bulldozer crushes a local jewelry store in the West Bank. Photo: NYT
Over the past two weeks, bulldozers have been tearing through Tulkarm and Jenin, two cities in the occupied West Bank. This has been silently ongoing, with media coverage being overshadowed by Israel’s clashes with Hezbollah and Hamas.
This week, videos taken by Palestinian residents surfaced, depicting Israeli bulldozers paving through city centers, shops, schools and roads. Residents of both cities described unprecedented levels of destruction. Rubble, debris, open sewage and other infrastructure damage from the bulldozers are simply left behind.
Bulldozering is not a new tactic for Israel, however, it is one that has been used more frequently since Oct. 7, when the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) decided to upscale the number of raids to follow through with their “‘counterterrorism operations’” in the West Bank. A West Bank raid by Israel typically includes on-ground soldiers, bulldozers, armored vehicles, fighter jets, bombs and missile strikes that usually results in Palestinian casualties.
Israel has yet to release a statement regarding this specific bulldozing operation, however, it is reasonable to assume it as part of their wider goal of countering oppositional forces. Even under this presumption, some of their chosen targets appear random, as there are videos of Israeli forces destroying spaces that lack any direct correlation to their claimed goals such as a street roundabout with plants and a children’s football field.
Though these bulldozers have not directly caused any casualties, they have greatly impacted Palestinians’ ability to receive medical care in the affected cities, which therefore has the potential to lead to fatalities.
Multiple ambulances have had their routes impeded — ultimately preventing patients from receiving life-saving care. In one instance, an Israeli bulldozer moved to purposefully block the clear, undamaged road ambulances being driven on. Mahmoud Al-Saadi, head of the Red Crescent branch in Jenin, reported that emergency calls increased during the raids. However, as a result of infrastructure damage, his team failed to respond to the average daily influx of 600 calls.
Israeli soldiers stand by vehicles during an operation in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Jenin and Tulkarn have historically resisted Israeli occupation and are accustomed to regular raids from their neighbor. However, recent initiatives have made life more dangerous for locals, with even Israel acknowledging that “‘operations in the area have caused unavoidable harm to certain civilian structures.’” Local leaders in the West Bank have continuously repaired damaged infrastructure resulting from the raids, only to be faced with bulldozers tearing through their work shortly after.
It has been estimated that over 90% of sewage lines have been destroyed in Tulkarm, which is home to one of the largest refugee camps in the West Bank. In Jenin, about 70% of roads have been destroyed by the recent raids and most power, phone, and water lines have ceased working.
So far, at least 10 Palestinian residents in the West Bank have been killed amid these recent raids as a result of air strikes or surface artillery.
Residents of the West Bank declare that they feel intentionally targeted due to these raids, and are in a constant state of fear. One Palestinian business owner said that it ‘“felt like we were targeted. That was very clear — there was an intentional effort to destroy businesses … They think they’re teaching people a lesson. The army’s message is: No one is getting out of this without being punished.’”
For Palestinians, quality of life in the West Bank has been slowly eroding for years as a result of Israel’s harsh policies towards Palestinians. A few examples include Israel’s control over water sources, Palestinian’s fear of home demolitions, segregation from Israelis, and application of military law.
The increase of raids within the past year have rapidly brought upon more uncertainty with Palestinian livelihood and health. With many homes, schools, businesses, cities, water and power sources, and agricultural sectors demolished by Israeli forces, Palestinians are left with few resources and basic necessities to survive.
Freedom of movement into and out of the West Bank is controlled by Israel, with the Palestinian’s ability to leave the territory extremely limited. Palestinian residents in the West Bank have difficulty obtaining permission to enter the city of Jerusalem, and permits through the various checkpoints are not guaranteed.
The same is true when attempting to leave any other of the territory’s borders, which are strictly controlled by Israel and are subject to closure at any time. With this being the case, Palestinians have no choice but to stay put.