Description

Photo:
Illustrative scene: Israeli forces raid Shufat refugee camp. Jan. 17, 2017 (Photo: Israeli police spokesperson) Published by Maan News
_______
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 19 Palestinians in overnight raids between Monday night and Tuesday morning, including at least two minors -- one of whom was reportedly beaten by Israeli soldiers during his detention.

According to a statement from the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), Israeli forces raided several areas in the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem.

The statement identified the detainees as Yousif Mahmoud al-Sheikh, 24, from Marah Rabah, Hussein Hmeid Taqatqa, 21, from Beit Fajjar, and Akram Adawi from al-Azza refugee camp.

An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the three detentions and informed Ma’an that four additional Palestinians were detained during an overnight raid in the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron.

The Israeli army also raided the southern occupied West Bank village of Tuqu to interrogate the brother of a Palestinian man who was shot and killed Monday afternoon for allegedly carrying out a vehicular attack.

PPs said nine Palestinians were detained in the central occupied West Bank district of Ramallah.

They were identified as Ghasan Muhammad Ata, Muhammad Nimir Ata, Udayy Issa Zahran, Abdullah Hamdan Ata, 17-year-old Mahmoud Suleiman Ibrahim, 21-year-old Amin Muhammad Rabee, Yazan Muhammad Rabee, Ayid Abed Ankoush, and Muath Rasmi Abu Alia.

An Israeli army spokesperson only confirmed seven detentions in the Ramallah district, saying that three were carried out in Deir Abu Mashal, one in Abwein, one in al-Mughayyir, and two in Kafr Nima.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that in the village of Sabastiya in the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus, Israeli forces "abducted" 14-year-old Muhammad Azim on Monday night after violently beating him in the village. The PPS statement also documented the detention, but named the boy as Mahdi Nasser Jamal Shihab.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an they were looking into the report.

Elsewhere in the Nablus district, Israeli forces detained Firas Fayiz Hamid Mansour, 41, from Kafr Qalil, which was confirmed by the Israeli army.

PPS also said that 35-year-old Fadil Farajallah was detained in the city of Tulkarem in the northern occupied West Bank “after he was shot and injured.” It was unclear from the statement if Farajallah was shot during Monday night’s raid or by Israeli forces some time in the past.

An Israeli army spokesperson said they were looking into the report.

Separately, Israeli police forces raided the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan overnight, according to an Israeli police spokesperson who said two policemen were lightly injured by rocks thrown at them. No detentions were reported there.

Israeli raids in Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps are a daily occurrence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Due to the typically aggressive nature of the raids, clashes often erupt between local Palestinian youth who throw stones and are met in response with live fire, rubber-coated steel bu
lets, and tear gas, often resulting in serious, sometimes fatal injuries.

According to Palestinian prisoners’ rights group Addameer, there were 6,200 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons as of May, include 300 minors.
_____

by IMEMC News

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers have abducted, on Tuesday at dawn, three young Palestinian men in the West Bank governorate of Bethlehem, and one in Nablus.

The Bethlehem office of the PPS said dozens of soldiers invaded the al-‘Azza refugee camp, north of the city, searched homes and abducted Karam Majed al-‘Amarin, 20.

It added that the soldiers also abducted Yousef Mahmoud Sheikh, 24, from Marah Rabah village, and Ehsan Hussein Taqatqa, 22, from Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, after invading their homes and searching them.

The soldiers also invaded Teqoua’ town, east of Bethlehem, and clashed with dozens of local youngsters, who hurled stones at the military jeeps, while the soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades.

In related news, the soldiers invaded Kafr Qalil village, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, searched homes and abducted a young man, identified as Firas Fayez Mansour.

In addition, the soldiers invaded many neighborhoods in the Old City of Nablus, and withdrew later.

Also at dawn, the soldiers abducted five Palestinians from their homes in Deir Abu Mashal village, northwest of Ramallah, in central West Bank.

.

Features