RAMALLAH, Israeli forces Thursday overnight detained 25 Palestinians in large-scale raids across the West Bank, according to local and security sources.
They said that Israeli forces rounded up five Palestinians from the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem.
The detainees were identified as a resident of Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem city, another from Beit Jala city, west of Bethlehem, a 16-year-old teen from Husan village, west of the city, two others from Al-Ubeidiya town, east of the city, in addition to another from Wadi Abu Freiha area, east of the city.
Elsewhere in the southern West Bank, heavily-armed soldiers rounded up another and searched his family house in Hebron city.
They also detained two others from al-Ramadin village, southwest of the city, and ransacked the houses of their families, turning them upside down.
The sources confirmed a similar raid in Dura, southwest of the city, resulting in the detention of another.
In Jerusalem district, a sizable military force barged its way into Qalandia refugee camp, north of the city, where the soldiers rounded up two others.
They also showed up at two houses in al-Ram town, north of the city, muscled in, conducted a thorough search and ultimately re-arrested a former prisoner along with his brother.
The sources confirmed that Israeli police stationed at one of the gates leading to Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound detained a woman as settlers broke into the site.
Still in Jerusalem, police and intelligence officers forcible entered the house of Mazen Jabari, Director of the Arab Studies Society’s Youth Development Institute in the Old City, and threatened to arrest him should he continues to deliver talks and presentations on the situation of Jerusalemite Palestinians and the mosque compound during the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan.
In Salfit district, the soldiers barged their way into Az-Zawiya town, west of the city, and re-arrested a former prisoner after storming his family house.
In the northern West Bank district of Nablus, the sources said that four others were detained in a predawn raid in Salem village, east of the city.
Gun-toting soldiers re-arrested another and ransacked his family house in al-Far‘a refugee camp, northeast of the city.
Still in the northern West Bank, the soldiers showed up at a house in Jenin city and detained another.
They also raided Ya‘bad town, west of the city, broke into and searched a house, turning it topsy-turvy before ultimately detaining another.
In Qalqilia district, the sources confirmed that two others were detained; one from Nabi Elias town and another from Azzoun town, east of the city.
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: Palestine News & Info Agency