RAMALLAH, Israeli forces have detained over 1,700 Palestinians from the occupied territories since the breakout of confrontations and tensions over Bab al-Amoud in Jerusalem, according to the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
PPS confirmed in a statistical press release that the number of Palestinians rounded up by Israeli forces since the outbreak of confrontations and simmering tensions surrounding Islam’s holy month of Ramadan in Jerusalem has surpassed 1,700, including women, children and casualties.
It said that as of April 13, Israeli police have rounded up over 400 Palestinians from the occupied city of Jerusalem. Besides, over 850 Palestinian citizens of Israel have been rounded up in large-scale detention raids across the Palestinian cities, villages and towns in Israel since May 9.
It added that Israeli forces have rounded up some 450 other Palestinians from various parts of the West Bank since April.
Israeli police have stepped up their detention raids across the West Bank, including Jerusalem, detaining over 170 Palestinians since May 12, as revealed in the PPS report.
Meanwhile, police detained today two Palestinians after storming the houses of their families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, and another after ransacking his house in Wadi al-Joz neighborhood.
This came as Israeli soldiers rounded up another after breaking into his family house in al-Auja town, north of Jericho.
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