RAMALLAH, Israeli forces Tuesday evening through Wednesday overnight detained at least eight Palestinians, including a paramedic, from various parts of the West Bank, according to security and local sources.

They confirmed that Israeli police rounded up a Palestinian from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya.

The detainee was identified as Mansour Mamoud, the head of the Fatah Youth Organization in the neighborhood, who sustained injuries after being by policemen using the butts of their rifles following the Taraweeh prayers at Bab al-Amoud on Saturday evening.

Police officers cracked down on Palestinian worshippers who celebrated the removal of all the metal barriers from the plaza at the entrance of Bab al-Amud, also known as Damascus Gate, assaulting some of them with tear gas and concussion grenades and detaining three, including a paramedic.

Meanwhile, the sources confirmed an Israeli military raid in al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem city, resulting in the detention of two former prisoners.

Israeli troops also violently dispersed a rally at the northern entrance of the city, causing a number of protestors to suffocate and detaining one.

Elsewhere in the southern West Bank, Israeli soldiers forced their way into the southern section of Hebron city, where they rounded up a resident after breaking into and ransacking his house.

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