Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Sunday that IDF troops will remain in Palestinian refugee camps in the Shomron for at least a year.

Katz stated: “The IDF is expanding its operations in northern Shomron and from tonight is also acting in Qabatiya as part of Operation Iron Wall to thwart terrorism in Yehuda and Shomron – and is reinforcing its forces with armored units and additional forces.”

“40,000 Palestinians have evacuated so far from the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur al-Shams, and they are now empty of residents. UNRWA’s activities in the camps have also ceased.”

“The IDF is actively cleansing the terror nests from terrorists and destroying extensive terror infrastructure and weaponry as part of the operation that the Prime Minister and I ordered.

“We are in a war against Islamic terrorism. I instructed the IDF to prepare for a prolonged stay in the cleared camps for the coming year and prevent the return of the residents and the resurgence of terrorism.”

“We will not return to the reality that existed in the past. We will continue to purge refugee camps and other terror hotspots to dismantle the battalions and terror infrastructure of radical Islam that have been built, armed, funded, and trained by the Iranian evil axis in an attempt to establish an eastern terror front against Jewish yishuvim in the Shomron and the seam line and the large population centers in Israel. We will continue the operation until the defeat of terrorism.”

Katz’s statement came after the incredible neis that occurred on Thursday night when a plan for a multi-site mass terror attack in central Israel went awry after three empty booby-trapped buses in Bat Yam and Holon exploded in parking lots and two additional explosive devices were found on buses in Holon. In an open neis, no one was injured. According to media reports, the phrase “revenge from Tulkarm” was inscribed on the devices. Following the frightening incident, the IDF announced that it is deploying three additional battalions to fight terror in the Shomron.

Earlier on Sunday, it was reported that for the first time since Operation Defensive Shield was conducted in the Shomron during the Second Intifada in 2002, a tank unit entered Jenin as part of the ongoing Operation Iron Wall.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)