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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli media said on Thursday that 10 Palestinians were detained in a series of overnight raids across the West Bank on New Year's Eve.

The Israeli military told state radio that a large number of weapons had been seized in one of the raids that took place in Jenin.

According to the military, the weapons included rifles, ammunition, and locally-produced grenades, in addition to stolen military equipment.

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JENIN, January 1, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Thursday detained a 17-year-old from the village of al-Arqa west of Jenin, and caused tens others to suffocate from teargas during confrontations, security sources told WAFA.

The minor detained was identified as Ibrahim Yehya. Confrontations erupted when forces stormed the village. Israeli soldiers fired teargas and stun bombs, upon breaking into the village which is adjacent to the Separation wall.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club (PPC) reported that Israeli forces arrested two youths from the city of Qalqilia, north of the West Bank.
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JERUSALEM, January 1, 2015 (WAFA) - The Israeli police Thursday detained 5 women who were praying at al-Aqsa Mosque, for attempting to stop yet another provocative tour carried out by extreme religious Israelis, said WAFA correspondent.

The women are reportedly from different areas in East Jerusalem; such as Jabal al-Mukabir, Shufat refugee camp and Sour Baher. One of whom is 16 while the other two are 19-year-old.

Some of the detained women were identified as: Malak Atoun and her cousin and Ikhlas Ra'oud.

WAFA correspondent reported that all of the detained women were led to Qashla detention center in Bab el-Khalil gate in the old city of Jerusalem.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri justified the detention saying they were chanting religious slogans at the Israelis who were in the Mosque’s yards and tried to end the visit.”

She said in a press release sent out to news agencies that the five women are undergoing interrogation at the moment.

The detention of the five women came amid a provocative tour during which extreme Israeli soldiers broke into al-Aqsa Mosque from al-Maghariba gate under heavy Israeli protection.

The provocative tours are usually called for by a number of extreme religious Jewish groups such as Students for the Temple, Women for the Temple, Hliba, and Union Temple. The groups perform Talmudic prayers and rituals and usually insult worshipers and provoke them.

Tensions in Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound have been on the rise as Israeli religious settlers continue their provocative tours, which inflame Palestinian worshipers, especially following the deadly incidents which occurred over the course of the last few months in Jerusalem and its neighborhoods and the ongoing violations committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

M.H

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