Operation Defensive Shield

On the March 29, 2002, during the Second Intifada, the IDF launched a large-scale operation known as Operation Defensive Shield (Hebrew: מבצע חומת מגן, 'Mivtsa Homat Magen').

30.10.17
IDF Editorial Team


Operation Defensive Shield, in Hebrew: מבצע חומת מגן, 'Mivtsa Homat Magen'

The main objective of the operation was to strike Palestinian terrorist infrastructures and put an end to the wave of terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens.

One of the main triggers of the operation was the March 27, 2002 attack at the Park Hotel in Netanya. Hamas claimed to have organised this attack in which 30 Israeli civilians were killed.

The operation was concentrated on the cities in Judea and Samaria, in particular Nablus, Ramallah, Jenin and Bethlehem, which housed most of the terrorist infrastructures.

The battle in Jenin was the most difficult one and therefore is most remembered one.

At the end of the operation, several goals had been achieved:

  • The firing towards Gilo (a district of Jerusalem) ceased
  • The number of attacks decreased
  • Enormous quantities of weapons were seized from the Palestinian Authority
  • The Mukataa, which was a symbol of the Palestinian Authority, was partially destroyed
  • Many wanted terrorists were arrested