RAMALLAH, Wednesday, August 26, 2020 (WAFA) - Israeli occupation forces detained 24 Palestinians, including two former lawmakers and journalist, from various parts of the West Bank , said the Palestinian prisoner society (PPS).
PPS confirmed in a press release that Israeli forces rounded up ten Palestinians in multiple raids across Ramallah and al-Bireh district.
Two of the ten detainees were identified as former members of the Hamas-affiliated Reform and Change bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council, namely Ahmad Attoun, 52, and Abdul-Jaber Fuqaha, 54, noting that Fuqaha was released several hours afterwards.
Three others of the ten detainees, including a journalist, were identified as residents of Birzeit town, north of Ramallah, another as a resident of al-Tireh neighborhood, two others as residents of al-Mazraa al-Gharbiyyeh, northwest of Ramallah, and another as a resident of Abu Qash village.
In Jerusalem, PPS confirmed that Israeli police detained seven Palestinians after ransacking their houses.
One of the detainees was identified as the Officer Director of the Secretary-General of the Popular National Conference for Jerusalem (PNJC).
In the northern West Bank, Israeli troops rounded up a father and his son after breaking into several houses in Burin town, south of Nablus city. They were released afterwards.
Soldiers manning a checkpoint stopped and detained two others, identified as residents of Madama town.
In Tulkarem district, PPS confirmed two separate military raids in Nur Shams refugee camp and Anabta town, east of the city, resulting in the detention of two others.
In Jenin district, special Israeli forces sneaked their way into Jenin refugee camp using a Palestinian-registered civilian vehicle, and rearrested a former prisoner from his restaurant.
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.
K.F.
