Israel arrests 13 Palestinians in overnight raids across West Bank
Five of the Palestinians arrested are suspected of involvement in so-called “popular terrorism and violent disturbances aimed at civilians and security forces.”
By JPOST.COM STAFFIDF troops operating in the West Bank(photo credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)
Israeli forces operating in the West Bank overnight arrested 13 Palestinians, the military authorities announced on Monday.Five of the Palestinians arrested are suspected of involvement in so-called “popular terrorism and violent disturbances aimed at civilians and security forces.”Two others who were arrested in Hebron are accused of membership in Hamas.All of the detained Palestinians are being subjected to interrogation.Earlier this month, widespread unrest erupted in the Hebron region hours after Israeli soldiers shot and killed the relative of a former prisoner who was being laid to rest in a nearby village.Rioting was reported in Khan Yunis, Halhul, the Alliance Junction east of Hebron, and Jelzun.The IDF deployed significant reinforcements to these areas in an effort to quell the disorder. Palestinian sources reported that a number of demonstrators were injured in the Al-Aruv refugee camp.A Palestinian was killed during a clash with the IDF near the West Bank town of Beit Umar.According to one report received by the IDF's regional Coordination and Liaison Administration, the Palestinian was killed by an IDF bullet in the course of a violent clash that erupted during a funeral.IDF sources said a funeral procession for a former Palestinian prisoner who died of natural causes erupted into a large-scale clash, with some 700 rioters hurling rocks and firebombs at army units in the area.
According to Palestinians, the casualty is the cousin of the former inmate.Soldiers responded by firing 0.22 caliber bullets from a Ruger rifle, which fires weaker shots compared to live fire, according to the sources. Non-lethal crowd control measures were also deployed during the incident.