Israeli army arrests dozens in raids across West Bank

Israeli forces detained late on Sunday dozens of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club.

Ten of the 37 detained Palestinians were released the following morning, which took place in Hebron, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Jenin, according to the Prisoners' Club. Two of those arrested in the Jenin region were former detainees.

Local media sources said that Israeli forces attacked Palestinians while conducting arrests, south of Jenin city.

حملة اعتقالات واسعة شنتها قوات الاحتلال في بلدة العيساوية بالقدس بعد منتصف الليلة الماضيت، شملت حسين محمود عطية، وقاسم منير درباس، ومحمد عبد الرازم، وإسماعيل ناصر، ويوسف ناصر، ومحمد هيثم مصطفى، وعبدالله محمد أبو ريالة، وحسين شادي عبيد، وعلي وسيم نايف عبيد pic.twitter.com/Mqk7p7o5zL

— AlQastal القسطل (@AlQastalps) February 21, 2022

The spokesperson of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, Ayah Shreiteh, told The New Arab that there has been a clear increase in the number of Israeli raids in the Jenin and Jerusalem areas.

"We are documenting around six arrests in each of these areas every day," she said. "This ramp-up of Israeli arrests began with the rise of tensions in Jerusalem and Jenin, which has not stopped, especially after the Israeli demolitions near Jenin."

On Sunday, the Israeli Supreme Court approved the demolition of a family home in Silet Harethiyeh, near Jenin. The owner, Mohammad Jaradat, is currently in Israeli detention, accused of opening fire on Israeli settlers in December, killing one.

Last week, Israeli forces demolished the home of his brother, Mahmoud Jaradat, who is also held in Israeli detention. The demolition blast killed a Palestinian teenager.

On Thursday, Israeli forces and Palestinians near Jenin left three wounded.

In Jerusalem, Israeli settlers and police attacked Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood for the eighth day running, as demolitions continued across the rest of the city, fuelling further tensions.

Ten of the arrests made on Sunday night took place in Jerusalem.

Israeli forces regularly raid Palestinian towns in the West Bank at night, often to arrest Palestinians. ِ

According to human rights groups, Israel arrested 504 Palestinians in January, including 54 minors and four women. It detained 8,000 Palestinians in 2021.

Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank since 1967, expanding settlements in the Palestinian Territories despite international outcry.