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HEBRON, October 30, 2012 (WAFA) – An Israeli army force Tuesday demolished part of house owned by Wahid Abu Maria, 45, in the Hebron area village of Beit Ummar and arrested him, according to a local activist.

Muhammad Awad, member of the Popular Committee against Settlements, told WAFA that an army force accompanied by a bulldozer demolished part of Abu Maria’s house in the early hours and without any prior warning.

He said the soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades in the area to keep people away and arrested the owner as they proceeded to demolish parts of the house.
Awad said the soldier beat and wounded two of Abu Maria’s brothers who intervened to stop the demolition. The two required hospitalization.

A statement by the Islamic Jihad described Abu Maria as a leading member of its organization in the Hebron area and that he was arrested two days after the fundamentalist organization held a rally in Hebron for the first time in many years to mark its establishment.

It said the Israeli force arrested Abu Maria after demolishing parts of his house and after firing several grenades at it to force him to surrender. Abu Maria had served a total of 17 years in Israeli jails in the last 25 years, said the statement.

The Islamic Jihad statement said the Israel army had also arrested Muhammad Najjar, 29, from Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, also for his role in organizing the rally. Najjar had also served a total of six years in Israeli jails for his role in the movement.

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Seven Palestinians arrested in Hebron area

Alternative Information Center (AIC) –
Israeli authorities arrested seven Palestinians on Tuesday in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, including three children, a woman and her son. Said Raba, a Palestinian from the South Hebron Hills village of al-Mufaqarah, was arrested because he refused to stop working on a water cistern as ordered by soldiers.

Soldiers also stormed at dawn on Tuesday the house of liberated prisoner Mohammed Ahmed al-Najjar in the Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, and arrested him.

In the old city of Hebron a woman and her 20 year old son were arrested from their home. Also three children were arrested in the old city of Hebron and accused of attacking settlers' cars parked in front of their homes.

In Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, a military force surrounded the home of Wahid Hamdi Abu Maria, 45, accompanied by a large bulldozer, and started demolishing part of the house while family members were inside. Abu Maria was arrested.