Israeli soldiers withdrew on Tuesday at night from Ghanim and Kadim settlements, east of the West Bank city of Jenin, without any coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
Hundreds of residents and dozens of fighters flooded the two evacuated settlements, carrying Palestinian flags and flags of several factions, and chanted slogans which praise the Intifada and resistance.
Palestinenet new agency reported that dozens of fighters of Al Aqsa Martyrs brigades, headed by Zakariya Zobeidy, leader of the brigades, entered the settlements while firing in the air and chanted slogans praising the late president Yasser Arafat.
Zobeidy said that the settlements were evacuated as a result of the resistance, the unity of the Palestinian people and resistance factions.
“We present this victory to the martyrs and the detaineesâ€Â, Zobeidy said, “Our victory will not be completed without freeing our detainees from the Israeli prisonsâ€Â. ÂÂ
Also, Zobeidy added that the brigades will continue its resistance in the occupied territories, and called on the residents and resistance factions to be united.
“Resistance will continue as long as the Separation Wall remainsâ€Â, Zobeidy said, “As long as our detainees are still imprisoned in Israeli detention facilities, and as long as the bodies or our fighters are held by Israel, our resistance will continue, until liberating Jerusalemâ€Â.
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Mohammad Abu Arraj, one of the brigades’ leaders in Jenin, said that this withdrawal is the beginning of the Palestinian victory and liberation.
“This withdrawal is only the beginning of a bigger victoryâ€Â, Arraj said, “our victory is when Palestine and Jerusalem and liberated, our victory is when all of the detainees are freedâ€Â.
Abu Arraj added that the resistance’ weapons are legitimate, and that the resistance will not disarm “until achieving victoryâ€Â.ÂÂ
Members of Fateh movement, Hamas, and Al Aqsa brigades marched in the streets of Jenin and its refugee camp, and chanted slogans praising the resistance, and held festivities with the residents.
Hundreds of residents held Palestinian folk dance (Dabkeh) celebrations, and chanted slogans praising the resistance, the martyrs and the detainees.