Operation Defensive Shield

Operation Defensive Shield was a 2002 Israeli military operation in the West Bank during the Second Intifada, lasting just over a month and being the largest combat operation in the West Bank since Israel's occupation in 1967. The operation began with an incursion into Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat was placed under siege, followed by successive incursions into six major cities and surrounding areas. Israeli forces enforced strict curfews and restricted movements of international personnel, with the United Nations reporting that combatants on both sides placed civilians in harm's way. The operation was a response to a surge in Palestinian attacks, including 15 suicide bombings in March 2002, which killed 71 people on both sides, and led to the Israeli cabinet deciding to expand military activity against Palestinian groups.learn more on wikipedia