Tensions rise after Israeli forces kill several Palestinians during West Bank raid

Geoff Bennett:

As we reported, today was the deadliest day in the occupied West Bank in two decades. Israeli forces raided Jenin this morning and killed nine people.

In response, the Palestinian Authority cut security coordination with Israel. And, this evening, there were reports of rocket fire into Israel from Gaza, which is controlled by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The West Bank raid coincided with an announcement that Secretary of State Tony Blinken will travel to Israel and the West Bank next week.

Nick Schifrin looks at U.S. policy priorities and the tense Holy Land he will soon visit.

Nick Schifrin:

In the West Bank's most volatile city, a most violent day. Palestinians carried out gunshot victims. They chanted the names of those killed in a fierce battle and rare daytime Israeli raid into Jenin's refugee camp.

A massive show of Israeli force left a building that Israel says was full of militants plotting an imminent attack a charred, destroyed wreck. Palestinians say one of the victims was an elderly woman. The fury quickly followed. Thousands filled the streets to mourn the dead. And the militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza, vowed revenge.

Hazem Qasem, Hamas Spokesperson (through translator):

The resistance will always be ready to defend its people everywhere.

Nick Schifrin:

The fallout was also political. The Palestinian Authority said it would refer the raid to the U.N. and cut off security coordination with Israel.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Palestinian Authority Spokesman (through translator):

In light of the repeated aggression against our people, we consider that security coordination with the Israeli occupation government no longer exists.

Nick Schifrin:

But for Israel's new government, the raid was mission accomplished. The Israeli army released bodycam footage of the soldiers' raid, heavy weapons fired onto the streets below, and Palestinians opening fire on Israeli soldiers.

The new ultranationalist Israeli national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called it a successful operation.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israeli National Security Minister (through translator):

We give backing to our fighters in the war against the terrorists. Let every police officer know, every fighter, every soldier that he has the full backing from the Israeli government, the Ministry of National Security, and the commissioner of police.

Nick Schifrin:

Jenin is largely controlled by Palestinian militants, and has long been a flash point. But, across the West Bank, the last year has been among the deadliest ever. Israel blames Palestinian terrorism.

And now Israel's right-wing government pushes a hard line, including Ben-Gvir's recent visit to the Al-Aqsa compound, what Jews call the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site.

In Washington, State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel called for calm.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson:

We believe there is an urgent need for all parties to de-escalate and to work together to improve the security situation in the West Bank.

Nick Schifrin:

In a separate incident, the Israeli military also fatally shot a 22-year-old Palestinian who confronted soldiers north of Jerusalem.

For more on the violence and Secretary Blinken's upcoming trip to Israel, we turn to Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a longtime State Department official in Democratic and Republican administrations.

Aaron David Miller, welcome back to the "NewsHour." Thanks very much.

This was the deadliest incident in the West Bank in decades. How consequential might it be?

Aaron David Miller, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: I think very.

Look, I think — this year, I think 29 Palestinians already in 2023 have been killed. Last year was a record year of more violence, Palestinians and Israelis dying, than at any point since 2005.

Today's raid, with nine, maybe 10 killed, you already have a joint statement, which is not unusual from Palestine Islamic Jihad and Hamas, that there will be a response, the Israelis will — quote, unquote — "pay" for their actions, some such language.

Nick Schifrin:

As you said, it has been a violent few weeks during a time when the new Israeli coalition took charge. But the violence preceded the coalition. This is not only about who is leading the government right now, is it?

Aaron David Miller:

No, absolutely.

It is a gathering sort of perfect storm that has been building for quite a while. You have a 56-year-old Israeli occupation. You have got a very weak Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas, I think, is now in the 18th year of a four-year term. He has lost great credibility as a consequence of canceling elections last year. He has been accused of corruption and nepotism.

And you also have this counterinsurgency strategy on the part of the Israelis, which, since March, has focused largely on Jenin. I'm not sure it's working, or the costs of it working are very high. And then, finally, the emergence of an Israeli government we have never quite seen before, with three ministers with budgets, as well as newfound powers, whose views and sensibilities are Jewish supremacists, racist, anti-democratic.

You have a perfect storm. And it wouldn't take much, it seems to me, to light a match and create a serious explosion.

Nick Schifrin:

We heard just before the longtime Palestinian Authority spokesman say that they would, because of this raid, cut off security coordination. They have said that before. It hasn't necessarily lasted.

But does that have an impact going forward, if indeed that security coordination is cut off?

Aaron David Miller:

They have suspended formal security cooperation, but I suspect, if the Palestinian Authority received information of an imminent attack, even in the West Bank, against settlers or in Israel proper, that they would share that information with the Israelis.

I suspect we will come back to Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation, in large part because it's — is in Abbas' interest in order to check Hamas' growing influence in the West Bank.

Nick Schifrin:

Into this situation, Secretary Blinken hits the road, in the next couple of days, will fly to Israel and will visit the West Bank earlier next week.

What are the U.S. options when it comes to dealing with this violence and the new Israeli government?

Aaron David Miller:

I think bleak.

I think — look, I worked for half-a-dozen administrations. I have rarely — actually never seen this much intense engagement with the new Israeli government at such a senior level. I think the administration has essentially made a decision to embrace the government, but to make it unmistakably clear to hold Netanyahu to what he has said repeatedly, that his hands are on the wheel, he's in charge, this is his government.

I think their options, though, Nick, are very, very, very few. The best they can hope for is to try to de-escalate and keep the lid on things, because if they really were serious about helping to create an environment for a negotiation one day, not now, that could lead to an end-of-conflict agreement, they would have to create rules of the road for both Israelis and for Palestinians.

And they would have to do everything they possibly could to impose consequences on both sides if, in fact, those rules of the road were violated. They really would have to get into some very awkward, unpleasant conversations, primarily with the Israelis.

And Joe Biden, it's not an election year, but he probably will announce in the next two months his intention is to seek a second term. It's fraught.

Nick Schifrin:

And, quickly, you used the term keep a lid on the violence. That's what the U.S. wants.

Historically, Israel has also wanted to keep a lid on violence, especially during a high-level U.S. visit. Is that still the case?

Aaron David Miller:

Benjamin Netanyahu, for all of his vaunted rhetoric, has been traditionally very risk-averse when it comes to projecting Israeli military force, whether it's Gaza or Lebanon.

And I think the last thing the prime minister needs is this. On balance, it's going to be a problem for both Tony Blinken and for Benjamin Netanyahu, not to mention for Palestinians.

Nick Schifrin:

Aaron David Miller, thank you very much.

Aaron David Miller:

Thank you, Nick.