Israeli occupation forces killed four Palestinians in the West Bank, this Tuesday, following a three-day military offensive launched against the Gaza Strip. With protests now erupting all over the West Bank, Israel claims that it has achieved success on the “security” front against the Palestinians.
Israeli special forces units stormed Nablus city, West Bank, at around 5AM this Tuesday, first penetrating the area with undercover operatives, then flooding the area with dozens of special forces soldiers. Israel’s target? A 19 year old Palestinian named Ibrahim Nabulsi, branded as the commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs brigades — unofficial Fatah Party armed wing.
After Israel failed to assassinated the much loved resistance fighter, several times, over a number of years, Nabulsi became known as the “Lion of Nablus”. He is most well known for his escape from two high profile attempts from Israeli special forces units to assassinate him, raising his image amongst fellow Palestinians. Branded as a “terrorist commander” by Israel, the reality was that the so-called triumphant security mission that Israel’s defense minister, Benny Gantz, and others brag about, was in reality an attempt to assassinate an extremely brave, but poorly trained, teenager who managed to put up a fight against occupation.
Israel used dozens of its forces to chase Ibrahim Nabulsi into the old city of Nablus, where he and another armed fighter, Islam Sobh, were ultimately shot and killed. Despite being outgunned, with Israel using shoulder mounted missiles in its attack against Nabulsi, he never gave up fighting until the end and held off the invading Israeli forces for more than two hours. Whilst hiding in a building in the old city, trapped in from all sides, Nabulsi recorded a voice message on his phone stating the following:
“I love you mother. My message to everyone is to protect our homeland. Do not give up your arms. I am barricaded now. I am going to be martyred.”
Praised as “heroic” by Nablus city locals his funeral was attended by over 100,000 people, birthing scenes not seen in the West Bank since perhaps the second intifada. His mother, who carried her teenage sons body during the funeral procession put on an emotional smile of pride as the thousands chanted her son’s name. During the raid, Israeli occupation forces had also killed a 16 year old Palestinian boy, named Hussein Jamal Taha, who was throwing stones at the Israeli forces pursuing Nabulsi.
Israel attempted with this raid to show strength, to project to the Israeli people that Israeli PMs Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, are capable of achieving “security” and deterrence for the Israeli public. Another goal here was to begin going after the armed groups in the West Bank, after having attacked the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in Gaza. Israel wants to separate these two “fronts” from each other and to go after West Bank and Gaza individually, beating down the spirits of the Palestinian people.
Although, in the short term, Israel has successfully inflicted symbolic defeats against the Palestinian people here, forcing them into a collective state of mourning, this will ultimately achieve the very opposite objective than that which Tel Aviv claims. Instead of decisively defeating the Palestinian resistance in either the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, Israel has created a trail of martyrs, immortalized for their valiant efforts to resist occupation. The story of the teenage warrior, Ibrahim Nabulsi, will stand as an example to countless young Palestinians who will also decide to follow in his path. Despite not being well trained or having a serious armed formation by his side, he was able to evade Israel’s army, intelligence, police and special forces for years — since around 17 years of age — and then hold them off for hours in a valiant gun battle, never surrendering. That is probably the best motivation for any Palestinian to continue the fight, in order to honor their martyr.
As a result of this, Palestinians took to the streets in over 12 different areas of the West Bank to confront Israeli occupation forces and suffered over 100 injuries. A 17 year old child was later also shot dead by Israeli forces in the city of Al-Khalil, whilst taking part in a non-violent demonstration. Although the West Bank mourns, there are only more and more armed young men taking matters into their own hands. Inspired by the victory which the armed resistance claimed in May of 2021, the Palestinian “Jenin Brigades” first formed in September of last year — this is when they announced themselves publicly. The Jenin Brigades are not a formation of highly trained fighters, but all bear arms and will spontaneously launch attacks against Israeli soldiers, in addition to opening fire on special forces units when they storm Jenin.
The Palestinian armed groups in the West Bank are primarily young men, who have little combat experience, but out of desperation have chosen to take up arms against their oppressors and are terrifying Israel. The Israeli occupation military may attempt to crush them, but the reality is that for every fighter you kill, 2 more are born and in the case of Ibrahim Nabulsi, his memory will continue to inspire countless young men to take up arms to liberate their homeland. Israel’s policy will be beaten. They made the mistake of not crushing their enemy and they certainly cannot buy them. So, from here, the Palestinian armed struggle will only grow.
Thank you so much Robert for keeping this issue front and center. Tragic that “martyring” is the best option for them.