On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State announced sanctions against the armed Palestinian group "Lion's Den," which is based in the old city of Nablus in the West Bank. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, in a statement regarding the sanctions, referred to the attacks carried out by the group in the West Bank since 2022. So, what do we know about the "Lion's Den" group?
The Lion's Den group is one of the most prominent armed Palestinian groups in the West Bank, independent of any political faction, and its elimination has become one of the primary objectives of the Israeli army due to its increasing military strength. The group's activities are concentrated in the city of Nablus, particularly in the Yasmina neighborhood, and it has managed to recruit dozens of young people in a short time since it began its armed activities under the name Nablus Brigade in February 2022, at which point the number of its members did not exceed ten militants.
The Lion's Den has also been influenced by the "Jenin Brigade," which began its armed activities in the Jenin refugee camp in mid-2021. The group’s photos and videos have spread on social media, particularly on the app TikTok, leading to dozens of masked armed youths affiliated with it staging a military parade in the alleys of the old city of Nablus after several months. This has raised concerns for both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli security forces.
