Opinion: What’s next after the IDF’s withdrawal from Jenin

As Operation House and Garden in Jenin comes to an end the IDF is satisfied that most objectives were achieved. 

The top priority was to destroy the terror infrastructure, particularly the explosives factories, weapon storage facilities and command and control centres.

The second priority was ensuring the IDF’s freedom of movement – that was quickly accomplished , giving them control of the whole area. The IDF also dismantled the terror groups’ CCTV across the city, which had given them the ability to monitor and attack previous IDF incursions.

Their third achievement relates to international legitimacy. Allies recognised the limited scope of the operation and Israel’s need to degrade terrorist capability. It was also noteworthy that not a single Palestinian civilian was killed.

In other realms the army only achieved partial success. They ‘only’ killed twelve terrorists, and did not arrest as many as hoped, with many fleeing and hiding in the hospital.

When the operation began the IDF made clear that the Palestinian Authority (PA) was not the target. Incursions into Jenin have been regular over the last 18 months, as Operation Breakwater filled the vacuum vacated by the PA. The IDF hoped (perhaps naively) that a return to full coordination with their security forces could be mutually advantageous – this has not happened.

As a result of these partial successes, and Iran’s continued funding and support of terrorists, it is highly likely that sooner rather than later the IDF will once again need to return to the streets of Jenin.

• Richard Pater is the Chief Executive of BICOM, and an analyst based in Jerusalem