RAMALLAH,
Tuesday, August 31, 2021 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Tuesday overnight detained at
least 18 Palestinians from various parts of the West Bank, according to local
and security sources.
Director
of the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS) Office in Tubas, Kamal
Bani-Odeh, confirmed that Israeli forces rounded up a
Palestinian after ransacking his family house in Tammun
town, northeast of the northern West Bank city of Tubas.
The
raid triggered confrontations during which the soldiers opened fire towards local
teens. No injuries were reported though.
In
Salfit district, a sizable military force barged its
way into Deir Istiya town,
west of the city, where they detained three others and brutally assaulted
another.
While
in the town, the soldiers ransacked the houses of the detainees’ families,
turning them upside down.
In
Ramallah district, the sources confirmed a similar military raid in al-Masayef neighborhood of Ramallah city, resulting in the
detention of another.
The
soldiers rounded up three others, including a 17-year-old teen, from other
parts of the central West Bank district of Ramallah and al-Bireh.
In
Jerusalem district, Israeli troops conducted separate raids in Abu Dis and 'Anata towns, east and
northeast of the city respectively, where they detained two others.
Meanwhile,
Israeli troops rounded up three others from the southern West Bank district of
Bethlehem.
The
detainees were identified as a resident of Beit Fajjar town, south of the city, a resident of Beit Sahour city in addition to a
resident of the Bethlehem city neighborhood of As-Saff.
In
Hebron district, Israeli military vehicles stormed Dura town, west of the city,
where soldiers rounded up a prisoner’s wife.
They
also rounded up four others, including two brothers, after breaking into and
thoroughly searching their houses in al-Arroub
refugee camp, north of the city.
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.
