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NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 12 Palestinians in overnight raids, including one youth at the Zaatara checkpoint south of Nablus on Saturday evening, in addition to two South African nationals at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem Sunday morning.

Local sources told Ma'an that Ahmad Husam Mahmud Khadir, 20, was on his way from Nablus to Birzeit University when he was detained at the checkpoint.

Khadir is the son of Husam Khadir, former lawmaker and leader in the Palestinian political faction Fatah.

The Palestinian Prisoner's Society said on Sunday that Israeli forces detained four Palestinians from the villages of al-Khader and Nahhalin near Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank. The four were identified as Bassam Naim al-Balbul, Nassar Muhammad Nassar, Faris Yusif al-Nis, and Nur al-Din Muhammad Shakarnah.

Three other Palestinians were detained in the village of Tubas near Nablus, and were identified as Rabi Mustafa Darwish Shafi, Husam Hammad Ahmad Abu Zeinah, and Hussein Daraghmah.

Israeli forces also detained Eid Talat al-Rimawi from the Ramallah district in the central occupied West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed five total detentions were made across the occupied West Bank during predawn raids, four next to Bethlehem, and one near Hebron.

In occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli forces detained Salih Badir Abu Asab, Muhammad Nasif, as well as two South African nationals during clashes Sunday morning at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. An Israeli police spokesperson said the Muslim worshipers were detained for "causing disturbances" as a group of extremist Israelis toured the compound under protection of Israeli armed forces.

At least 330 Palestinians have been detained since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began on June 6, according to a statement released Saturday by the Palestinian Prisoners' Center for Studies (PPCS), which said that the detentions reflected Israel’s disregard for the sanctity of the holiday.

PPCS spokesman Riyad al-Ashqar said that during that time period, Israeli forces detained hundreds, including women, children, the elderly, people suffering from various illnesses, formerly released prisoners, and fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli authorities have also continued targeted campaigns against political prisoners, as dozens of prisoners affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) were moved from the Megiddo prison as punishment for supporting prisoner Bilal Kayid, who began a hunger strike earlier this month for being issued an administrative detention order after finishing a 14.5-year prison sentence.

Specific cities in the occupied West Bank, such as Hebron and its surrounding areas, have been the targets of numerous detention raids, road closures, and other punitive measures after it was revealed that the suspected shooters in a deadly attack in Tel Aviv on June 8 were from the village of Yatta, south of Hebron.

The holy month of Ramadan is anticipated by Palestinian Muslims as a time of relative calm and respite, however this year's holiday has been marked by widespread detention campaigns, housing demolitions, a crackdown on the right to movement, and increasing restrictions at Al-Aqsa in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City, where Palestinians were also the target of racist verbal abuse from thousands of Israeli extremists on the eve of Ramadan.
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by IMEMC News

Israeli soldiers kidnapped, overnight and on Sunday morning, at least eleven Palestinians in different parts of the occupied West Bank, and detained three South Africans, in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Jerusalem. Five Palestinians were injured in Al-Aqsa courtyards. Video: Army Attack Worshipers In Al-Aqsa.

The Bethlehem office of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers invaded al-Khader and Nahhalin towns, searched many homes and kidnapped four Palestinians identified as Bassam Na’im al-Balboul, Nassar Mohammad Nassar, Fares Yousef an-Niess and Noureddin Mohammad Shakarna.

The soldiers also invaded the central West Bank district of Tubas and kidnapped three Palestinians, identified as Rabea’ Mustafa Shafe’ey, Husam Hammad Abu Zeina and Hussein Daraghma.

In Ramallah, the soldiers searched a few homes and kidnapped a Palestinian, identified as ‘Eid Tal’at Rimawi, 23, from Beit Rima town.

In occupied Jerusalem, the soldiers kidnapped Saleh Bader Abu ‘Assab and Mohammad Naseef, in addition to three South African men, and one Palestinian from Jenin, protesting ongoing Israeli invasions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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