Palestinians fired two rockets at sovereign Israel from the Jenin area Monday morning, the IDF reported. They landed inside Palestinian Authority territory without hitting any Israeli or Israeli sites. It was the first time a rocket had been fired at Israel from the West Bank in 18 years.
One of the rockets fell five meters from the launch zone and the other landed 80 meters away, the IDF said. Although a review of the wreckage found that the rockets were full, no explosive materials were found in the wreckage.
This suggests that the rockets were a publicity stunt or a test that was not supposed to explode. As of press time, it was unknown if the launchers had more rockets or explosive materials.
In general terms, the rockets were found to be of primitive design, the IDF said.
The rockets did not pose a threat to Israeli communities in the area, he said, although it was unclear whether that was because they did not have the range to hit them or because of other problems.
Israeli security forces arrived at the scene and searched the area. They have not yet reported any arrests.
The incident was under review, the military said, without giving specific information about who carried it out or how similar incidents will be prevented in the future.
There was another recent incident when a mock rocket was being prepared to be fired at Israel or at least threaten it, the IDF said. Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) director Ronen Bar recently warned that Palestinian terrorists were making renewed efforts to acquire rockets in the West Bank and fire them into Israel.
If the terror groups are successful, it could represent a whole new front for Israel’s rocket defense, which is currently deployed to defend against rockets from Lebanon or Gaza, but not from the West Bank.
Last week, there was a drastic escalation Palestinian terrorist attacksthe IDF’s use of force and settler revenge attacks in Judea and Samaria.
‘Jenin will become Gaza?’
Likud MP Danny Danon criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the party’s faction meeting on Monday.
“I saw a report from the IDF spokesman that a rocket had been fired from Jenin this morning,” he said. “Last week, four Jews were killed, and we still haven’t seen any reaction. What are we waiting for? That Jenin will become Gaza?
“We know there are standard plans to deal with the worsening security chaos in northern Samaria,” he said. “Why is it not approved at a political level? The people of Samaria will not be sitting ducks.”
Oved Nur, head of the Gilboa Regional Council, said on Monday that a Hamas faction near Jenin had released a disturbing video of rockets being fired and aimed at towns in the Gilboa Regional Council.
The chairman of the National Unity Party, Benny Gantz, in remarks directed at Netanyahu, said: “In the whole issue of the fight against terrorism, you and the government have full support as long as you act responsibly and decisively .The rocket fire today in Jenin is intensifying and terrorist organizations are becoming bolder.
“As we did against the Lion’s Den, as we always did when terrorism reared its head, we must eliminate the threat, by any means, with any force necessary and wherever necessary. The safety of citizens must be the highest priority.”
IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi congratulated the brigade commanders serving in the West Bank, “who are fighting terrorism and physically risking their lives every day. They are also at the forefront when it comes to preventing harm to Palestinian residents that, unfortunately, would be at the hands of Israeli citizens . Both tasks serve the security of the country and its citizens.”
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