On the occasion of the New Year, residents of Jenin sent greetings to the residents of Gaza and Hamas, wishing them "victory over Israel" and expressing hope that next year will be marked by the "liberation of Palestine."
"We wish our brothers in Gaza victory over the occupation," one of the young men said in a videotaped message. "May they be strong and may God strengthen their spirits, they raised our heads all over the world, gave us a place among all nations," he added.
IDF forces operating in Jenin refugee camp // Arab networks
May there be a good year for us and for them, may Allah protect them and bring them victory over the occupation forces," said another young man. Others expressed solidarity with the residents of Gaza, explaining in an almost apologetic tone that "I wish they could help their brothers besieged in the Gaza Strip, but all they have to do is pray for them." "We hope that in the new year the people of Gaza will continue to stand firm in the face of Israeli aggression," said another resident. "May God have mercy on the Martyrs, and bring us all together in paradise."
Another young man sent a message to Hamas, saying, "The entire nation is with you and supports you, victory is near." Others said they wished "that soon the occupation would disappear and that Palestine would be liberated," and sent encouragements to Gaza, including wishes "for victory and freedom on the occasion of the New Year."
Documentation: Destruction of laboratories for manufacturing IEDs and underground shafts in Jenin refugee camp
There were those who cursed the leaders of the Arab countries for not standing by Gaza and not acting to stop the war. "Shame on you," a Jenin resident said in a message to the Arab rulers, calling them "Zionist Arabs who abandoned the residents of Gaza alone." To the people of Gaza, he said, "Allah is with you and He will bring you victory."
Since the tightening of pressure on Jenin and its refugee camp over the past two years as part of the security forces' counterterrorism activity, some on the Palestinian side have referred to Jenin as "Little Gaza," a description intended to draw a line connecting Gaza to "besieged Jenin." Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, there have been expressions of support for Hamas in the Jenin area, and marches have been organized to express solidarity with the terrorist organizations in Gaza.
When proposals began to surface around the day after the war, one suggesting that the Palestinian Authority return to control Gaza, Palestinian activists opposed to Abbas' rule compared Gaza to Jenin. "They want to turn Gaza into Jenin, it's madness," said Fatah activist Samer Sanjlawi. "After Abu Mazen and Hussein Sheikh handed Jenin over on a silver platter to the Israelis, they now want to return the corrupt leadership of the PA to Gaza so that it will hand over Gaza to the Israelis and allow them to do whatever they want there. The thinking should be different. This is an opportunity to create something new, and most importantly, a new leadership that will be acceptable to the Palestinian people."
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