RAMALLAH, Israeli forces Wednesday overnight and Tuesday evening detained 20 Palestinians from various parts of the West Bank, according local and security sources.

They said that Israeli police rounded up five brothers and searched their houses in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, turning them topsy-turvy.

Police rounded up five others after breaking into and searching their houses across Jerusalem city.

In the southern West Bank, Israeli soldiers detained two others from Beit Sahour city, east of Bethlehem.

They also forcibly entered a family house and detained a 16-year-old teen from Beit Fajjar town, south of the city.

Still in Bethlehem district, soldiers detained a 13-year-old child from the vicinity of a school in Wadi Rahhal village, south of the city.

In the meantime, the sources confirmed a raid in Yatta city, south of Hebron, resulting in the detention of another.

They also conducted a raid in Beit Awwa town, west of Hebron, resulting in the detention of another.

Still in Hebron district, soldiers rounded up two others after stopping them at a checkpoint south of Adh-Dhahiriya town, southwest of Hebron.

In the northern West Bank, Israeli troops barged their way into the old city of Nablus, and rounded up two others.

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: Palestinian News & Info Agency