RAMALLAH, Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained 15 Palestinians, including a 65-year-old man, from various parts of the West Bank, according to local and security sources.

They said that Israeli forces rounded up two Palestinians, including a 65-year-old man, from At-Tuwani locality, southeast of Yatta, in the southern West Bank district of Hebron.

The soldiers also rounded up another after forcibly entering and searching his family house in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron.

In Bethlehem district, the military vehicles stormed the Bethlehem city neighborhood of Jabal al-Mawalih and Beit Fajjar town, south of the city, where the soldiers ransacked several houses, tampering with their contents. No detentions were reported though.

In Jerusalem, Israeli police detained another from al-Issawiya neighborhood.

In Nablus district, Israeli troops barged their way into al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya village, south of the northern West Bank city, and detained a Palestinian.

They also thoroughly searched several houses and rounded up two others, including a former prisoner, from Beita town, south of the city.

The sources added that three residents of Nablus city were also detained.

In Jenin district, the sources confirmed a similar raid in Rummanah village, northwest of the northern West Bank city, resulting in the detention of two others, including a former prisoner.

Gun-toting soldiers also conducted a raid in Jaba‘ village, southwest of the city, and detained another.

They forced their way into Qabatiya town, south of the city, where they rounded up two brothers.

Similar raids were reported in several other Jenin-district villages, namely Anza, Zububa and al-Jalama. No detentions were reported there though.

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.

According to Palestinian figures, roughly 5,700 Palestinians — including numerous women and children — are currently languishing in Israeli detention facilities.

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