JERUSALEM, Monday, February 10, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli police early Monday seized money from the families of former prisoners during multiple raids across occupied East Jerusalem.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center, a Silwan-based watchdog, said that police and intelligence officers stormed the family houses of four former prisoners in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Silwan and Sur Baher, ransacking them and seizing all the money found.

The watchdog center elaborated that the funds were seized purportedly for being paid by “hostile entities”, in reference to the stipends the Palestinian Authority pays to the families of Palestinian prisoners.

Police seized they could find in the houses, even the saving found in the piggy banks of children, in addition to a vehicle. The seized funds totaled NIS 26,790 ($7,800).

They also froze the bank accounts run by the families of nine prisoners. The total of NIS 270,900 ($80,000).

Israeli minister Naftali Bennett issued a decision several weeks ago to withhold the salaries of eight imprisoned Palestinian citizens of Israel purportedly for receiving monthly stipends from the Palestinian Authority.

K.T./ K.F.