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Illustrative scene: Israeli police stand in front of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, October 5, 2015. (AFP/File) Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli police detained four Palestinian youth from occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday for hanging posters praising Misbah Abu Sbeih, who was killed by Israeli forces last years after carrying out a shooting attack that left two Israelis dead.

The Israeli police said in a statement that forces arrested four “youths” from the Old City, Wadi al-Joz, and Ras al-Amud neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.

The statement added that the youths had sprayed graffiti and hung posters praising Abu Sbeih on the anniversary of his death.

Two of the detainees were arrested as they were spraying graffiti, while the other two were detained shortly after, according to the statement.

Israeli police forces confiscated the spray paint and posters from the youths, who remained unidentified.

Israeli authorities have claimed that attacks such as the one carried out by Abu Sbeih have been caused largely by “incitement” among Palestinians, notably through social media or expressions of support -- through posters and graffiti - towards groups or individuals opposing the Israeli occupation.

Israeli forces have raided bookstores, print shops, and media institutions in the occupied West Bank in past months over allegations that the businesses were inciting violence against Israel.

The raids have come amid a wider crackdown by Israeli authorities on Palestinian freedom of expression, through censoring social media activity and jailing journalists, activists, poets, and novelists.