Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained nine Palestinians, including a high-profile Muslim cleric, from various parts of the West Bank, according to the Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS).
It said in a press release that Israeli police rounded up Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, from his house in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Al-Sawana.
In Bethlehem district, Israeli forces re-arrested a former prisoner after storming his house in al-Khader town, south of the city.
The forces detained two other Palestinians after breaking into and ransacking their families’ houses in the nearby town of Beit Fajjar.
PPS confirmed a similar military raid in Aida refugee camp, north of the city, resulting in the detention of another.
In the northern West Bank, Israeli forces detained three Palestinians in multiple raids across Jenin district.
One of the three detainees was identified as a resident of Jenin city, another as a resident of al-Yamun town, west of the city, and the other as a resident of Silat al-Harithiya village, northwest of the city.
Soldiers also barged their way into Silat ad-Dhahr town, southwest of the city, where they ransacked several houses, wreaking havoc in their contents and interrogating their occupants. No detentions were reported though.
PPS confirmed that another Palestinian was rounded up from Qalqiliya district.
Israeli forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost on a daily basis across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids, which take place also in areas under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, are conducted with no need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
Under Israeli military law army commanders have full executive, legislative and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
