QALQILIA, Wednesday, June 24, 2020 (WAFA) – Despite the spike in the coronavirus cases, Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained 22 Palestinians, including an injured teen and a journalist, from various parts of the occupied West Bank, said the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
PPS confirmed in a press release that Israeli forces rounded up six Palestinians, including four former prisoners, from the northern West Bank district of Qalqilia.
Four of the six detainees were identified as residents of Azzoun town, east of Qalqilia city, and the two others as residents of the city.
The former prisoners were a 43-year-old Palestinian who spent 11 years in Israeli detention, another, aged 43, who spent 12 years in Israeli custody, another, aged 43, who spent five years and another, aged 49, who spent a year.
Elsewhere in the northern West Bank, PPS said that five Palestinians were rounded up from Jenin district.
One of the five detainees was identified as a journalist from Jenin city besides to four former prisoners; two from Kafr Ra‘i town, southwest of the city, and the two others from Silat Al-Harithiya village, northwest of the city.
In Nablus district, Israeli forces detained three Palestinians from the vicinity of Awarta town, southeast of Nablus city.
One of the three was identified as a resident of Kafr Qallil town, and the two others as residents of Balata refugee camp.
PPS also confirmed that another was rounded up from the vicinity of Zaatra military checkpoint. He was identified as a resident of Beit Furik town, southeast of Nablus.
Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers close to Beit El colonial settlement, close to Beitin town, northeast of Ramallah, midnight opened fire towards several Palestinian teens, injuring a 17-year-old and detaining him along with his 16-year-old friend.
Both detainees were identified as residents of al-Jalazone refugee camp.
PPS confirmed a military raid Beit Rima town, northwest of Ramallah, resulting in the detention of another Palestinian.
In Hebron district, Israeli soldiers rounded up a Palestinian from Hebron city, and two others from Halhul city, north of Hebron.
In Jerusalem district, PPS that soldiers detained one Palestinian after ransacking his house in Qalandia refugee camp.
The raid into the camp triggered confrontations, during which one youngster sustained injuries from Israeli military gunfire. He was rushed to a hospital in Ramallah.
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.
According to Palestinian figures, roughly 5,700 Palestinians -- including numerous women and children -- are currently languishing in Israeli detention facilities.
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.