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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained 23 Palestinians in predawn raids across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that three Palestinians were detained in Jenin district, six in Tulkarem, one in Nablus, two in Qalqiliya, three in Ramallah, five in Bethlehem, and three in Hebron -- all for alleged "illegal activities."

Palestinian security sources confirmed 23 Palestinians were detained overnight, and said Israeli forces had also delivered summons to Palestinians in Bethlehem, ordering them to meet with Israeli intelligence.

In Beit Ummar in Hebron district, local official Muhammad Ayyad Awad told Ma'an that Israeli forces detained two Palestinian teenagers from their homes, identified as 16-year-old Ahmad Akef Awad and 17-year-old Muhammad Nidal Abu Maria.

He said Israeli forces also stormed and ransacked the home of Yousef Bader Awad and summoned his son Rashed to meet with Israeli intelligence.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Israeli forces carried out an average of 88 search and arrest raids every week last year.

Israeli is now holding nearly 7,000 Palestinians in its jails, including around 450 children.
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by IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli soldiers have kidnapped, earlier on Wednesday, at least fifteen Palestinians, in various military invasions targeting different parts of the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem. The soldiers also demolished an under-construction building in Jerusalem.

n occupied Jerusalem, the soldiers stormed and searched many homes, and kidnapped four Palestinians, including a child.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) has reported that the soldiers kidnapped Mahmoud Shaweesh, 15, from the Suwwana neighborhood, in Jerusalem.

The soldiers also kidnapped Luay Abu al-Hummus, from his home in the al-’Eesawiyya town, in the center of Jerusalem, and violently searched the property, in addition to Ahmad al-Faqeeh and Mohammad al-Faqeeh, from their homes in Qotna town, northwest of Jerusalem.

Silwanic said the soldiers shot al-Faqeeh before abducting him.

Also in Jerusalem, the soldiers demolished an under-construction residential building in the at-Tour village, east of occupied Jerusalem, allegedly for being built without a permit.

The building contained three floors of 250 square meters each, and its owners started building it approximately four months ago.

Israel imposes tight restrictions on the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, in addition to excessive fees and complicated procedures, in an attempt to prevent them from building homes, or expanding existing ones, an issue that pushes growing families to build before obtaining a permit, while at the same time filing legal paperwork.

The fines and fees imposed on them are in most cases much higher than construction costs.

In the southern West Bank district of Hebron, the soldiers invaded and searched several homes, and kidnapped three Palestinians from Halhoul and Beit Ummar towns, north of the city.

Media sources in Hebron said the soldiers kidnapped Saddam Ghaleb al-Baw, from Halhoul, in addition to Ahmad ‘Akef Awad, 16, and Nidal Amr Abu Mariya, 17, from their homes in Beit Ummar.

The soldiers also invaded the home of Yousef Bader Awad, and told him they were looking for his son, Rashed, 17, but he was not home.

In it worth mentioning that the soldiers have kidnapped 23 Palestinians, including eight children, from Beit Ummar town since the beginning of this year.

In the northern West Bank district of Jenin, the soldiers also searched many homes and kidnapped two Palestinians, identified as Islam Ahmad Abu Ali, 25, from Serees town, and Ghassan Mohammad N’eirat from Methaloon town.

Furthermore, the soldiers invaded Sanour town, near Jenin, searched a home, belonging to Shu’aa Jarrar, and assaulted his child Mahmoud, 15, in addition to searching the home of (late) Mofeed Omar Ayasa, and assaulting his child, Mohammad.

In Ya’bad town, south of Jenin, the soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes and kidnapped five Palestinians, identified as Mohammad Hussein Amarna, Dia Khaled Zeidi, Adham Khaled Badarna, Abed Shattour Abu Bakr, and Mohammad Hassan Abu Bakr; all in their twenties.

In Qabatia town, south of Jenin, the soldiers searched homes and kidnapped a young man, identified as Mohammad Saleh Hanthawi.

In related news, the soldiers detained five Palestinians, from Beit Rima town, northwest of Ramallah, after stopping them on the Atara roadblock, north of Ramallah, and searched dozens of cars.

The soldiers also installed a roadblock near Nabi Saleh village, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.

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