Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained 21 Palestinians, including at least a minor, in multiple raids across the West Bank, according to the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
It confirmed in a press statement that the 21 Palestinians were mostly detained from Jenin and Jerusalem districts.
Israeli forces detained two Palestinians after ransacking their families’ houses in a raid that triggered violent confrontations in Jenin refugee camp.
Israeli soldiers forced their way into Qabatiya town, south of Jenin city, where they rounded up two others.
Meanwhile, soldiers manning Mavo Dothan checkpoint, southeast of Yaabad town, stopped and detained two others.
In Tubas district, PPS confirmed a similar Israeli military raid in Tayaseer village, east of the city, resulting in the detention of three others.
In Ramallah district, the soldiers forced their way into al-Tira neighborhood, where they detained a minor.
They fired stun and tear gas grenades at protestors in the neighborhood and al-Bireh city. No injuries were reported though.
In the southern West Bank, the soldiers rounded up another Palestinian after storming and searching his house in al-Saff Street of Bethlehem city.
They searched several other houses in the same neighborhood as well as in al-Khader town, south of the city.
In Hebron district, soldiers detained an 18-year-old Palestinian after stopping him at a military checkpoint in the southern part of Hebron city purportedly for possessing a knife.
PPS confirmed another raid in Beit Ummar town, north of the city, resulting in the detention of two others.
The remaining seven Palestinians were nabbed from the West Bank districts of Jerusalem and Qalqilia.
Israeli forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost on a daily basis across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids, which take place also in areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, are conducted with no need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
Source: WAFA
