FM Katz: Israel should temporarily evacuate West Bank Palestinians to thwart Iranian terror

Israel should resort to a “temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents” from the West Bank, if need be, to facilitate the destruction of terror infrastructure in the area, Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X/Twitter on Wednesday. 

Referring to the large overnight IDF operation in the West Bank towns of Jenin and Tulkarm, which saw hundreds of IDF soldiers carrying out military activities in the area, Katz wrote, “The IDF is operating with force since the night, in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarm to thwart Islamic-Iranian terror infrastructure that was set up there.”

‘Iran acting to create an eastern terror front’

“Iran is acting to create an eastern terror front in the West Bank against Israel, modeling Gaza and Lebanon, by funding and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weaponry from Jordan,” he added. 

IDF soldiers operate in Jenin, the West Bank, August 6, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Katz specified that Israel must “take care of the threat in the exact way terror infrastructure in Gaza is taken care of, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and every other necessary step.”

The foreign minister characterized the fight against terrorism in the West Bank a “war” that Israel “must win.”