From Gaza to the West Bank… Israel Draws Up “The Day after” Plans

27th February 2025

2 minutes read

From Gaza to the West Bank… Israel Draws Up "The Day after" Plans

Discussions about “the day after” are no longer limited to the Gaza Strip alone, as Israel’s vision for the future of the Palestinian territories now extends to the West Bank as well.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, the Israeli security establishment is preparing for “the day after”, not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank.

The report explains that, concerning the West Bank, in addition to the ongoing large-scale military operations, major civil programs are also being planned—something that has not been considered for many years. The report also notes that these plans may involve collaboration with American officials.

Channel 14 states that these plans aim to transform the northern Samaria region (Israel’s term for the West Bank) from a hub of terrorism into a place where people can live safely.

The report emphasizes that these initiatives are intended to “reshape the face” of northern West Bank, both from a military and civil perspective, arguing that “this is the only way to bring real change for years to come.”

The “Iron Wall” Military Operation in the West Bank

Since January 21, 48 hours after the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, the Israeli army launched a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank, named “Iron Wall.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated in a press release:
“So far, 40,000 Palestinians have been evacuated from the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams, which are now emptied of their residents.”

According to the United Nations, the “Iron Wall” operation has resulted in the deaths of more than 50 Palestinians, including seven children, as well as three Israeli soldiers.
The UN also reports that tens of thousands of displaced Palestinian refugees remain uprooted a month after the operation began.

A Plan to Redesign the Northern West Bank

According to Channel 14, a planning team is expected to be formed soon, consisting of several Israeli army personnel, with the mission of redesigning the northern West Bank, with a focus on Palestinian refugee camps.

The targeted camps include: Jenin, Tulkarem, Nur Shams, Tubas, and Balata.

The Israeli plan consists of three main areas:

Education
Israel intends to remove organizations like UNRWA, which it labels as “extremist”, from involvement in shaping school curricula and kindergarten education.
The goal is to “participate in content creation to prevent the spread of antisemitism and terrorism from an early age.”
Urban Development
The project aims to construct high-rise buildings and wide dual-carriage roads to reshape the refugee camps and make them resemble Ramallah.
Employment
According to the Israeli plan, providing job opportunities to Palestinians is seen as crucial to persuading them to abandon violence against Israelis.
The underlying notion is that “to convince Arab residents that it is in their best interest to stop planning to kill Jews and carry out terrorist attacks, they must be offered employment opportunities.”