RAMALLAH, Wednesday, February 27, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli forces detained this morning a senior Fatah member and 33 other Palestinians during multiple raids across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, said the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
Israeli military vehicles raided Ramallah city, where soldiers detained member of Fatah Revolutionary Council Zakaria Zubeidi, from Jenin refugee camp, along with Tarek Barghout, an attorney with the Prisoners Affairs Committee who is from Jerusalem, and seized their vehicles.
Zubeidi was a leading member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah’s armed wing, during the second intifada but was later given amnesty by Israel in a deal reached with the Palestinian Authority.
PPS confirmed that a third Palestinian was detained during a military raid into Deir Abu Mashaal village, northwest of Ramallah.
In Jenin district, Israeli forces detained three Palestinians, including a former prisoner, from the northern West Bank district.
PPS said that two separate military raids were conducted in Qabatia town, south of Jenin, and Jenin refugee camp, resulting in the detention of three Palestinians.
Meanwhile, three Palestinians were rounded up from the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Security sources confirmed that Israeli forces raided Surif town, northwest of Hebron, detaining two Palestinians.
They also confirmed another raid into Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, where soldiers detained a Palestinian after physically assaulting him.
In Jericho district, two Palestinians were detained.
Also overnight Wednesday, Israeli military police detained Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith and 21 other Palestinians during large-scale raids across East Jerusalem.
Today’s detention raids in Jerusalem rose the total number of Palestinians detained from the holy city since the outbreak of tensions over Bab al-Rahma inside Al-Aqsa compound a week ago to over 100. Most of them, however, were later released on bail and on condition of not being in Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem’s Old 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.
K.F./M.K.
