Editing Operation Defensive Shield (section)

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{{short description|2002 Israeli military operation}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Operation Defensive Shield
| partof            = the [[Second Intifada]]
| image             = File:חומת מגן 18.jpg
| caption           = Israeli soldiers taking cover behind an [[M113 armored personnel carrier|M113 APC]] in [[Qalqilya]], April 2002
| date              = March 29 – May 10, 2002
| place             = [[Israeli-occupied territories|Israeli-occupied]] [[West Bank]] ([[Palestinian territories]])
| casus             = Series of Palestinian terror attacks on Israeli civilian population, culminating in the [[Passover massacre]]
* [[Operation Determined Path|Operation "Determined Path"]] launched subsequently
| combatant1        = '''{{flag|Israel}}'''
| combatant2        = {{tree list}}
*  '''{{flag|Palestinian Authority}}'''
** {{flag|Fatah}}
** {{flag|Hamas}} 
** {{flag|Palestinian Islamic Jihad}}
{{tree list/end}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Israel}} '''[[Ariel Sharon]]'''<br />{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Shaul Mofaz]]<br />{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Yitzhak Eitan]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Palestine}} '''[[Yasser Arafat]]'''<br />{{flagicon|Palestine}} [[Mahmoud Tawalbe]]{{KIA}}
| strength1         = 20,000 soldiers 
| strength2         = 10,000 fighters 
| casualties1       = 30 soldiers killed<br />127 soldiers wounded<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/3/Operation%20Defensive%20Shield Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs] See ''Soldiers who fell in action in Operation Defensive Shield''</ref>
| casualties2       = 497 killed (per [[United Nations|UN]] reports)<ref name=jenin_report_press /><br />1,447 wounded<ref name=Ynet>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2002/SG2077.doc.html|title=Operation Defensive Shield (2002)}}</ref><ref name="UN Report">{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/defensiveshield.html|title=Operation Defensive Shield |publisher=Jewish Virtual Library|access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref><br />7,000 detained<ref name=jenin_report_press />
| notes             = {{align|center|{{Location map+ | West Bank
| places =
  {{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Ramallah]]
    | position = right
    | lat_deg = 31.9
    | lon_deg = 35.2
    }}
  {{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Tulkarm]]
    | position = right
    | coordinates = {{coord|32.31|35.03}}
  }}
{{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Qalqilya]]
    | position = left
    | coordinates = {{coord|32.19|34.97}}
  }}
{{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Bethlehem]]
    | position = right
    | coordinates = {{coord|31.70|35.20}}
  }}
{{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Jenin]]
    | position = top
    | coordinates = {{coord|32.46|35.3}}
  }}
{{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Nablus]]
    | position = right
    | coordinates = {{coord|32.22|35.26}}
  }}
{{Location map~ | West Bank
    | label = [[Hebron]]
    | position = right
    | coordinates = {{coord|31.53|35.095}}
  }}
| caption = Cities in the West Bank that saw major combat during Operation Defensive Shield
}}}}
| result            = Inconclusive
| territory        = 
* Israeli forces withdraw from the [[Palestinian enclaves]] in the West Bank
* Temporary drop in Palestinian attacks
* Second Intifada continues until 2005
| units1            = {{tree list}}
* {{armed forces|Israel}}
** {{army|Israel}}
** {{air force|Israel}}
{{tree list/end}}
| units2            = {{tree list}}
* {{Flagicon image|Coat of arms of Palestine (alternative).svg|border=|size=22px}} [[Palestinian Security Services]]
** {{Flagicon image|Emblem of the Palestinian National Security Forces.svg|border=|size=22px}} [[Palestinian National Security Forces]]
* {{flagicon|Fatah}} [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]]
* {{flagicon|Fatah}} [[Tanzim]]
* {{flagicon|Hamas}} [[Al-Qassam Brigades]]
* {{armed forces|Palestinian Islamic Jihad}}
{{tree list/end}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Second Intifada}}

'''Operation Defensive Shield''' ({{langx|he|מִבְצָע חוֹמַת מָגֵן}} {{Transliteration|he|Mīvtzāh Ḥōmat Māgēn}}) was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the [[Israeli occupation of the West Bank|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 [[Mukataa#Arafat's compound|his compound]]. This was followed by successive incursions into the six largest West Bank cities and their surrounding localities.<ref>Taylor & Francis Group (2004). ''Europa World Year Book 2: Kazakhstan-Zimbabwe''. {{ISBN|1-85743-255-X}} p. 3314.</ref> Israel's military moved into [[Tulkarm]] and [[Qalqilya]] on April 1, into [[Bethlehem]] on April 2, and into [[Battle of Jenin (2002)|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.<ref name="UNMay7">[http://reliefweb.int/report/israel/report-secretary-general-prepared-pursuant-ga-resolution-es-1010-report-jenin-aes ''Report of the Secretary-General prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution ES-10/10 (Report on Jenin)''.] [[United Nations]], 30 July 2002.</ref>

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.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/06/04/mideast/index.html "Arafat asks Tenet to pressure Israel, aide says". 4 June 2002.] CNN. </ref>

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."<ref name="UNMay7" />