Operation Defensive Shield

Operation Defensive Shield (Hebrew: מִבְצָע חוֹמַת מָגֵן Mīvtzāh Ḥōmat Māgēn) was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada. Lasting for just over a month, it was the largest combat operation in the territory since the 1967 Arab–Israeli War. The operation began with an Israeli incursion into Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat was placed under siege at his compound. This was followed by successive incursions into the six largest West Bank cities and their surrounding localities. Israel's military moved into Tulkarm and Qalqilya on April 1, into Bethlehem on April 2, and into Jenin and Nablus on April 3. From April 3 to 21, Israel enforced strict curfews on the Palestinian populace of the West Bank and restricted movements of international personnel, including prohibiting entry to humanitarian and medical personnel and human rights monitors and journalists. In May 2002, Israel withdrew from Palestinian cities in the West Bank, but maintained cordons of troops around certain towns and villages, and also continued carrying out raids on Palestinian-populated areas. According to a report by the United Nations: "Combatants on both sides conducted themselves in ways that, at times, placed civilians in harm's way. Much of the fighting during Operation Defensive Shield occurred in areas heavily populated by civilians and in many cases heavy weaponry was used."