Tel Aviv: As its forces intensify their assault on the northern West Bank, concerns are mounting over Israel's broader objectives-further territorial expansion, forced displacement of Palestinians, and the gradual annexation of occupied land. Israel has killed more than 60 Palestinians, arrested at least 365, displaced over 40,000, and destroyed scores of homes and properties in the occupied West Bank since it launched an operation, called 'Iron Wall,' on Jan. 21, just days after a ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip.
According to Anadolu Agency, on Sunday, Israel deployed tanks in the West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years as Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army will remain in some refugee camps 'for the next year.' As the operation, which began in the city of Jenin and the adjacent Jenin refugee camp, spreads across several West Bank cities, analysts say Israel's long-standing aim to annex the occupied Palestinian territory is now more evident than ever.
British Palestinian academic Kamel Hawwash told Anadolu that Israel plans to annex the West Bank and squeeze the Palestinians into the smallest areas possible, particularly to expel them from Area C, which makes up some 60% of the Palestinian territory. He also expressed fears that US President Donald Trump may recognize Israel's annexation of the West Bank, just as he did previously for Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
Abdaljawad Omar, a lecturer at Birzeit University, suggests that annexation would primarily be a symbolic move aimed at securing American recognition of Israel's de facto control over the West Bank, where it already exerts power over 62% of the territory. He noted that annexation would signal the end of the two-state solution, while demonstrating that the US supports Israel in terms of the expansion of illegal colonies within the West Bank.
As the Israeli operation escalates, Palestinian academic Muhannad Ayyash warns that illegal settlers are also expected to push further into Palestinian territories. Ayyash, a professor of sociology at Mount Royal University in Calgary, explained that the illegal settlers are backed by the Israeli state, which provides them with military, economic, and political support across the political spectrum.
In January, the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now warned that Israeli authorities were planning to approve the construction of 2,749 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. The group said 2025 could see 'record numbers' of settlement expansions-an average of 1,800 units per month.
Hawwash highlights that Israel's aggressive assault on refugee camps aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goal 'to end the concept of a Palestinian refugee.' He noted that Israel's strategy involves eradicating the notion of Palestinian refugees by focusing attacks on refugee camps and the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
Amid Israel's ongoing offensive, Palestinian civilians face an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. Omar argues that Israel's actions are part of a broader strategy enacted by the far-right government, aiming to isolate Palestinians economically and socially. This strategy includes creating harsher economic conditions and restricting travel within the West Bank to ultimately expel Palestinians from the land.
Hawwash pointed out that Israel has increased restrictions on Palestinian movement by installing new gates at village entrances and expanding the number of military checkpoints. This has impacted Palestinian livelihoods and the economy, as prices of goods are increasing, and Israel has also withheld tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority, crippling its ability to pay salaries and provide basic services.
The ongoing West Bank operation is seen as part of Israel's plan of establishing an exclusively Jewish state. Ayyash, a policy analyst at Palestinian think tank Al-Shabaka, stated that Israel's ultimate goal is to establish exclusive Israeli-Jewish sovereignty over all of historic Palestine, reducing Palestinians to a minority and eliminating their claims to sovereignty.