Israeli military operation in Jenin refugee camp leaves lasting trauma on locals

People living in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank are still reeling from the ten-day military assault launched by the Israeli army since Aug 28, saying the operation destroyed their homes and dashed hopes for a normal life.

The operation left 21 Palestinian people dead, including children and the elderly, while injuring many others, according to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA.

Local resident Mohammed recounted the harrowing ten-day siege, saying they were gripped by an ominous fear of death.

"They opened heavy fire on these areas. The shooting rippled through the Jenin refugee camp from this side, and we were very scared then. As you can see, the bullets were coming in this direction and there were huge explosions. We could hear the bulldozers destroying the houses. We were helpless and scared, especially when we heard the bulldozers, the gunshots and the barking of their trained dogs. We felt like we were going to die," said Mohammed.

The clear bullet holes on the doors and walls of Mohammed's house are a reminder of the intensity of the Israeli raid.

Mohammed said Israeli soldiers patrolled the area every two or three hours each day. And for most of the time, they had to remain indoors while lying on the floor to avoid being hit by bullets.

With the water and electricity being cut off, their home became especially sweltering, with their food going bad. Mohammed said each of the ten agonizing days felt like an entire year.

"It's not about food. We could survive without food for 10, 15 or 20 days. It doesn't matter. But I want to feel the presence of life. Food was not a problem, even though it's very little. What really scares me and my wife is the overwhelming fear," he said.

This is not the first Israeli large-scale military operation in Jenin. Back in 2002, the Israeli army carried out a 10-day major assault on the Jenin refugee camp, causing hundreds of local casualties.

At that time, Mohammed's home was completely destroyed. But he said the scale and intensity of the operation this time were far greater than in 2002.

"This time the force is bewildering. They're acting like there are in a state of madness, worse than ever, never seen before. It is unbearable for us. We love life and desire to have hope and the pursuit of life. But they don't give us a chance. Every week or two, they come and destroy our dreams and homes," said Mohammed.

Even though the Israeli military claimed to have ended its ten-day military operation in Jenin, the fear hasn't dissipated among locals as the sound of drones can be heard overhead and a few gunshots still ring out from time to time.

Israeli military operation in Jenin refugee camp leaves lasting trauma on locals

Solly Mapaila, general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), criticized some countries jeopardizing the international rule-based system with wars, violence and sanctions as he elaborated on challenges multilateralism faces and Global South cooperation in a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Beijing.

Mapaila called these countries' unilateral actions "disruptive" to international order.

"The changing nature of the strategic relations, if you like, the world balance of forces, that the capitalist world has practically devoured and are destroying international rule-based system. They are destroying international law. They arrogated to themselves the leaders of the world. They are trying to impose their ideas as universal ideas, and in the context of an emerging multipolar world largely and centered around China and to an extent as well the Russian Federation, they found it difficult to allow this to happen and they become disruptive. That's why they have launched wars, violence, sanctions, interference in countries' internal affairs, interference in security threats and everything else," he said.

Against uncertainties posed by unilateralism, Mapaila highlighted the importance for the Global South to show solidarity like they have at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia and the Tricontinental Conference in Cuba.

"Now, the Global South has a necessity to relive the moment of Bandung in which the South came together to struggle and to consolidate their solidarity against colonialism. This conference took place in Indonesia, and later on the Tricontinental Conference that took place in Cuba, which we are celebrating [the 60th anniversary now], in 1966, where Africa, Asia and Middle East, Latin America came together to discuss the challenges of colonialism and how to come out and support one another so that solidarity is important today," he said.

Mapaila led a delegation of South African politicians to visit China in March, where the two sides discussed deepening ties and exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest.

Wars, sanctions destroying international law: SACP general secretary