Israel’s Nightmare in the West Bank: The Rise and Evolution of the Resistance Brigades

On the morning of August 29, 2024, Palestinian resistance fighter Mohammed Jaber, known as “Abu Shujaa,” the commander of the Tulkarm Brigade, was martyred by a large Israeli army force after being surrounded along with four of his brigade members in a mosque in the Nur Shams camp, northern West Bank.

A few months earlier, Abu Shujaa had survived a similar operation, after which he declared, “If they assassinate me or any other fighter, the situation will continue until the land is liberated, God willing.”

The martyrdom of Abu Shujaa, who had long frustrated “Israel,” came on the second day of a large-scale operation launched by the Israeli army in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas governorates in the northern West Bank, described as the "largest" in two decades.

Despite its limited capabilities, the occupied West Bank has participated in Operation al-Aqsa Flood since it began on October 7, 2023.

Recently, as Israeli aggression on Gaza intensified, resistance operations in the West Bank have advanced, with growing military strength, increasingly alarming the Israeli Occupation.

Amidst this operation, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for handling the West Bank in the same way Gaza was dealt with.

"We need to address the threat exactly as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and any other step needed," Katz wrote on X shortly after the raid began, justifying it by saying that this is a war on everything, and “Israel” must win it.

So, what is the resistance group in the West Bank? How did it emerge and develop? And why does “Israel” fear it to such an extent?

New Groups

On September 19, 2023, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Strategic Studies (PCPSR) published a research paper detailing the origins and development of resistance groups in the West Bank.

The center revealed in its paper that approximately 18 resistance groups and brigades were established between 2021 and 2023 to combat the Israeli Occupation.

Among them are eight groups affiliated with Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, including the brigades of Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, Tubas, Qabatiya Groups, Jaba’ Groups, al-Far’a Groups, and Burqin Group.

Five groups are affiliated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, which was linked to the Fatah movement, including Martyrs Brigade, Balata Brigade, Youth of Revenge and Liberation, Tulkarm Brigade, and al-Fajr Brigade.

Other groups include The Lions' Den, Aqabat Jaber Camp Brigade, al-Dahiya’ Brigade, Jalazone Camp Brigade, al-Far’a Camp Brigade, as well as the al-Qassam Brigades.

According to the research paper, resistance movements adopted rhetoric supporting the escalation and development of armed groups.

Ziyad Nakhalah, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad, emphasized this by saying, "There is a plan and program to bring about a qualitative shift in the West Bank and develop the capabilities of the resistance fighters."

The PCPSR paper noted that a range of factors contributed to the expansion of the phenomenon of establishing new and rising armed groups.

These factors include the absence of a political horizon, the failure of negotiation tracks, the compounded crises of the Palestinian Authority, such as the economic crisis, its loss of legitimacy, and its continued security and economic relations with the Israeli Occupation.

On the other hand, it also highlighted Hamas's crisis, which lies in its inability to balance governance and resistance, as it focused on encouraging armed resistance in the West Bank while maintaining calm in Gaza (this was before the outbreak of Operation al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023).

Another factor is the escalation of raids, settlement expansion, killings, arrests, the encouragement of settler terrorism in Palestinian areas, and the lack of armed Palestinian action.

A Turning Point

The accumulation of events in the West Bank following the Sword of Jerusalem battle in May 2021 marked a turning point, leading to a shift toward diverse armed resistance.

Armed groups began to take shape as a result, with the Jenin Brigade being the first of these formations, headquartered in the Jenin refugee camp, and established on September 7, 2021.

The brigade included members from various factions, particularly the Martyrs Brigade, which was founded by the martyr Daoud al-Zubeidi, who is aligned with the Fatah movement.

Following this, the Nablus Brigade was formed in the Old City in late 2021. The Israeli Occupation forces assassinated several of its key leaders, including Mohammad al-Dakhil, Ashraf Mubaslat, and Adham Mabrouka, on February 8, 2022.

Then, on August 9 of the same year, Ibrahim al-Nabulsi and his companions Islam Sabouh and Hussein Taha were also assassinated.

The momentum did not stop there, as from the Nablus Brigade emerged the Lions' Den group, which officially appeared on September 2, 2022, and is credited to the martyr Mohammad al-Azizi, a close friend of al-Nabulsi.

On August 22, 2023, the Palestinian Information Center published statistics on resistance operations during the first half of 2023.

According to these statistics, 6,704 resistance operations were carried out in West Bank cities, distributed as follows: 841 shooting operations, 19 stabbing attacks, 11 vehicular assaults, two rocket launches, and 9 incidents of downing reconnaissance drones.

Examining the geographic scope of these operations, the cities of Nablus, Jenin, and Hebron have seen the highest frequency of resistance activities, particularly in terms of gunfire incidents.

Among the various resistance groups, Lion's Den has emerged prominently.

The Lions' Den is distinguished by its inclusive ideology that unites all Palestinian political factions, while also utilizing media propaganda and artistic elements to boost morale.

Their statements and songs became popular among Palestinians, who often chant phrases like: "When the Den calls for mobilization, every corner of Palestine echoes with cheers and chants of praise."

One of the key developments introduced by the Lions' Den was shifting the resistance strategy from merely defending Nablus during constant Israeli incursions to actively attacking checkpoints, setting ambushes, and confronting settlers storming Yusuf Tomb in the city.

Their strength grew to the point where they conducted joint operations with other brigades, such as the Jenin Brigade, Balata Brigade, and Askar Brigade.

Notably, the Lions' Den also has a specialized unit dedicated to identifying and exposing collaborators.

On April 10, 2023, they publicly executed a collaborator in the West Bank—the first such execution since the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000—after interrogating him, recording his confession, and releasing it publicly.

Another notable aspect of the Lions' Den is their large-scale military parades, similar to those conducted by Hamas in Gaza.

During funeral processions and martyr celebrations, they would showcase the red cap that seals the muzzle of rifles, symbolizing that their guns are reserved exclusively for fighting the occupiers.

Their speeches and statements addressed the Palestinian people, combining motivation with promises of protection against the Israeli Occupation. They also took pride in their resilience, regularly sharing their field accomplishments through audio and video broadcasts.

The Israeli Occupation also imposed collective punishments, such as blockades and increased restrictions at checkpoints, in addition to using drones to assassinate resistance fighters.

Military operations were also carried out, as seen in Jericho, Nablus, and Jenin, following resistance attacks. During these operations, organized groups of settlers, protected by the army, launched assaults on Palestinian villages and areas.

They engaged in the destruction of property to prevent and suppress any revolutionary uprising that might emerge, aiming to deter young people from joining the resistance.

Despite this, the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) confirms that ‘Operation Break the Wave’ triggered a cycle of violence that perpetuated itself. The more the Israeli Occupation escalated violence, the more it incited young people to carry out additional attacks and join the ranks of the resistance.