'Ring of Fire' Strategy: Why is the Occupation Expanding its Aggression Towards Quiet West Bank Cities?

The Israeli occupation's military operations are no longer confined to traditional confrontation centers in the northern West Bank, such as Jenin and Nablus, but have extended to cities and towns previously known for their relative tranquility. This field shift raises profound questions about the underlying objectives behind targeting areas that have not witnessed prominent military resistance formations, indicating a desire to generalize a state of instability.

Salfit recently witnessed one of the largest military incursions since the beginning of this year, with occupation forces deploying hundreds of soldiers and dozens of vehicles in an operation that lasted for about 12 continuous hours. The incursion involved imposing a comprehensive curfew, searching over 150 homes, and converting some into military barracks and field interrogation centers, amidst widespread destruction of private property.

Local sources reported that occupation forces imposed a tight military cordon around the Martyr Yasser Arafat Hospital in Salfit, completely preventing civilian movement by closing the city's main entrances. These measures were accompanied by the distribution of leaflets claiming the goal was 'combating terrorism,' pretexts that observers see as mere cover for a show of force and intimidation of civilians.

Analysts believe that the escalation in Salfit is not isolated from settlement plans, as the governorate is subjected to extensive bulldozing operations aimed at establishing a massive settlement neighborhood known as 'Ariel West.' This project, spanning over 6,000 dunams, aims to isolate the city from its geographical surroundings and transform it into a canton besieged by settlements from all sides.

Israeli policy in the West Bank relies on the principle of 'gradual seizure,' where areas classified as (C) are targeted first to tighten the noose on Palestinian presence. This methodology aims to absorb international and local reactions by implementing plans in spaced-out stages, leading to the imposition of complete demographic and geographical control.

Political specialists indicate that the occupation is trying to draw a new 'psychological map' for Palestinians, based on dividing them into categories according to the level of calm or escalation. This approach aims to create internal brakes within Palestinian society by linking living stability to submission to security measures, known as the 'carrot and stick' policy.

The scale of forces involved in incursions into 'quiet' cities and the use of helicopters in landing operations reflect a desire to impose a new field reality that goes beyond the declared security dimension. These operations carry clear political messages that there is no place in the West Bank beyond the grip of the occupation, regardless of the presence or absence of military resistance activity.

In Bethlehem, the picture was no different, as occupation authorities re-drew land boundaries in the areas of Beit Jala and Battir, in a provocative move aimed at dragging those areas into the circle of confrontation. Researchers believe that these movements aim to empty the land of its original owners in favor of relentless settlement expansion that devours green spaces.

Settlers' role emerges at this stage as a third executive arm of the occupation, working in parallel with the army to intimidate farmers and prevent them from accessing their lands. This complementarity between official and militia roles aims to accelerate the pace of actual annexation of the West Bank and transform Palestinian villages into isolated islands behind military gates.

Despite the occupation's attempts to impose a 'pretext-blocking' policy and restrict Palestinian movement, history proves that the current state of adaptation is a means of steadfastness, not surrender. Palestinians who faced siege in previous intifadas are now inventing alternative ways to manage their daily lives, affirming their attachment to the land despite all attempts at forced displacement.

The divisions imposed by the Oslo Accords (A, B, C) are now mere designations that the occupation bypasses daily through its repeated incursions into city centers nominally under Palestinian control. This تجاوز aims to undermine any national authority and portray the occupation as the sole force controlling the fate and daily movement of the population.

Observers expect that the continuation of this pattern of escalation could lead to a comprehensive explosion in the West Bank, as economic and security pressures reach their peak. The Palestinian people, undergoing a period of intense pressure, possess the historical ability to overturn equations at critical moments, making the occupation's bets on permanent calm losing bets.

The repellent environment that the occupation tries to create through home demolitions and military checkpoints is part of a long-term strategy to reduce the Palestinian population density in vital areas. This policy targets not only resistors but the Palestinian presence itself, by making daily life an unbearable burden under the weight of pursuit and intimidation.

In conclusion, Palestinian steadfastness in the targeted cities remains the rock upon which settlement expansion projects shatter. Despite the massive military arsenal, Israeli anxiety persists about the inability to break national will, which explains the occupation's constant resort to developing tools of oppression and expanding the 'ring of fire' to include every inch of Palestine.

The occupation seeks to create a psychological and geographical map that divides Palestinians to impose a new settlement reality.