Jenin Camp

Jenin Camp (Arabic: مخيم جنين) is a 0.42 sq km Palestinian refugee camp north of the West Bank in the city of Jenin. It was established in 1953 after a snowstorm destroyed most of the original camp.[1][2] The camp was also severely affected during the Second Intifada, when the Israeli Defense Forces occupied the camp in April 2002 after the Battle of Jenin on the grounds that the camp was a hotbed of Palestinian militancy. Over 400 homes were destroyed, and hundreds more were severely damaged.[3] A quarter of the camp's population was homeless and displaced.[4] A UN envoy likened the camp to an earthquake zone.[5]

Jenin Camp
Refugee Camp
Arabic transcription(s)
 • Arabicمخيّم جنين
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • Hebrewמחנה הפליטים ג'נין
Jenin Camp
Location of Jenin Camp within Palestine
Coordinates: 32°27′41″N 35°17′11″E
StateState of Palestine
GovernorateJenin Governorate
Government
 • TypeRefugee Camp (from 1953)
Area
 • Total473 dunams (0.42 km2 or 0.16 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,986
 • Density26,000/km2 (68,000/sq mi)

Palestinian claims that 500 people were killed during the 2002 Israeli invasion were dismissed by a UN report, which supported accounts that stated 52 Palestinians and 23 Israeli soldiers were killed.[6] Israeli authorities fiercely rejected claims that the Israeli Army had committed a massacre in the camp, although they did prevent relief workers and reporters from entering, on the grounds that booby traps rigged by Palestinains were a serious concern. Palestinians later acknowledged that explosives were indeed placed throughout the camp.[7][8]

Both Israeli and Palestinian forces conduct frequent operations in the camp, often resulting in violence. In August 2021, four Palestinian men were killed and a fifth seriously wounded during an Israeli raid by undercover forces, who entered the camp to arrest a Hamas suspect.[9]

The camp is plagued by one of the highest rates of unemployment and poverty among the 19 West Bank refugee camps. Other issues include high population density and poor sewage networks. It is known for its active role in armed resistance, civil disobedience, and the nurturing of armed groups.[10][11][12]

See also

References
  1. Tartir, Alaa; Seidel, Timothy (2018-12-22). Palestine and Rule of Power: Local Dissent vs. International Governance. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-05949-1.
  2. "WestBank Jenin Camp". UNRWA. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  3. Israel, the Occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian Authority Territories Jenin: Idf Military Operations. Human Rights Watch.
  4. "Jenin Camp". UNRWA. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  5. "Jenin camp 'horrific beyond belief'". 2002-04-18. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  6. Bennet, James (2002-08-02). "DEATH ON THE CAMPUS: JENIN; U.N. Report Rejects Claims Of a Massacre Of Refugees". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  7. Bennet, James (2002-04-13). "MIDEAST TURMOIL: THE OFFENSIVE; Jenin Refugee Camp's Dead Can't Be Counted or Claimed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  8. "Jenin camp situation 'horrendous'". 2002-04-15. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  9. "Four Palestinians killed in clashes during Israeli raid". BBC News. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  10. Tartir, Alaa; Seidel, Timothy (2018-12-22). Palestine and Rule of Power: Local Dissent vs. International Governance. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-05949-1.
  11. "Jenin camp braces for defending Gilboa Prison fugitive". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  12. Alpher, Yossi (2022-02-15). Death Tango: Ariel Sharon, Yasser Arafat, and Three Fateful Days in March. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-6208-8.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.