RAMALLAH, Tuesday, December 15, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Tuesday overnight detained 17 Palestinians from various parts of the West Bank, according to the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
PPS confirmed in a press statement that a sizable Israeli police force conducted a raid in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya in the dead of night, detaining nine Palestinians, including some minors, after breaking into their houses.
Israeli forces also raided Hizma town, detaining the mother of slain young Palestinian man.
Fathi Kan‘an, whose son, Mohammad, was killed by Israeli military gunfire during the tensions over the installation of metal detectors at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in July 2017, was released several hours afterwards, while his wife was kept in detention.
Police stationed at the gates leading to the mosque compound detained a 17-year-old teen Monday evening.
The teen was shot by a rubber-coated steel bullet during confrontations with Israeli police in Issawiya on December 5.
In Bethlehem district, PPS confirmed an Israeli military raid in Aida refugee camp, north of the city, resulting in the detention of two others.
In Hebron district, Israeli military vehicles stormed al-Arroub refugee camp, north of the city, where soldiers ransacked several houses and rounded up two Palestinians.
In Ramallah and al-Bireh district, soldiers barged their way into al-Bireh city, where they rounded up a Palestinian.
PPS also confirmed a similar raid in Birzeit town, north of Ramallah, resulting in the detention of another.
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.
