Israeli forces arrested dozens of Palestinians during raids on several villages and towns across the West Bank on Wednesday, as attacks by Israeli settlers against unarmed Palestinians continued.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing security sources, reported that Israeli forces arrested eight Palestinians, including a young woman, in Nablus governorate Wednesday.
The forces raided several neighbourhoods in Nablus city and the nearby Balata refugee camp to the east, breaking into homes, searching them and ransacking their contents. They also raided Beit Dajan, where they searched homes and detained several Palestinians for field interrogation inside a house they had turned into a military barracks. Further raids targeted Beit Furik and Salem, east of Nablus, where several Palestinians were detained and questioned.
In Qalqilya governorate, Israeli forces arrested 11 Palestinians from the village of Immatin, east of Qalqilya, after raiding and searching homes, according to local sources.
In Tulkarm governorate, four Palestinians, including two former prisoners, were arrested in the towns of Allar and Attil, north of Tulkarm, local sources said.
In Jenin governorate, Israeli forces arrested eight Palestinians after raiding their homes and storming several neighbourhoods in Jenin city and the town of Kafr Dan to the west.
In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces stormed two schools in the town of Tuqu’ during the first lesson of the school day. The schools were Khansa Preparatory School for Boys and Jarmaq Preparatory School for Girls.
The forces entered classrooms, triggering panic and fear among students, according to Tuqu’ municipal director Taysir Abu Mufreh. He said the forces threatened students and teachers with punitive measures and warned that the two schools could be closed. They also confiscated Palestinian flags before withdrawing.
Israeli forces also raided Bethlehem city and Aida refugee camp to the north, deploying in the Karkafeh area and searching the home of Elias Freij. They inspected his son’s phone; the son heads the student union council in Bethlehem, according to security sources.
In Aida refugee camp, the forces raided the home of Mohammed Waheed Abdullah Qandil. No arrests were reported.
Meanwhile, settlers attacked and detained a group of Palestinians last night in the Al-Dhuhur area of Deir Istiya, northwest of Salfit, according to local sources.
In Nablus governorate, settlers set fire to Palestinian-owned land in the town of Burqa, northwest of Nablus, Wednesday, burning part of the area, local sources said.
