Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz visited the Jenin refugee camp on Wednesday and held a situational assessment on the ground with senior IDF officials.

Katz spoke with commanders and soldiers who told him details about the enormous amounts of weaponry seized in the camp’s houses “just like in Gaza.”

Following the assessment, Katz stated that Operation Iron Wall will expand to additional terror hotspots in Yehuda and Shomron and that IDF forces will remain in Jenin even after the end of the current operation.

“We have declared war on Palestinian terrorism in Yehuda and Shomron,” Katz said. “Operation Iron Wall is aimed at destroying the terror infrastructure built in Palestinian refugee camps, funded and armed by Iran. The IDF is operating powerfully in the Jenin refugee camp to thwart terrorists and destroy the terror infrastructure.”

“Jenin will not return to what it was. After the operation is completed, IDF forces will remain in the camp to ensure that terrorism does not return. I send a clear message from here to the Palestinian Authority: stop funding terrorism and the murder of Jews and start seriously fighting terrorism. Whoever funds families of murderous terrorists and educates their children to destroy Israel endangers his very existence.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)