Army arrests three Bethlehem residents including police office

The Israeli army arrested three residents, including a police officer, from the West Bank city of Bethlehem and in the neighborhood of Hendaza Mountain south of the city Thursday at dawn.

Palestinian security sources in the city reported that Israeli soldiers backed by armored vehicles invaded the city from its main entrances and was deployed in Al Maslakh neighborhood. Soldiers broke into several homes and conducted a wide range of searches before arresting three residents.

The two arrested in Al Maslakh were identified as Ibrahim Khaleel Farhat, 22, and Basel Hassen Masalmeh, 29, a police officer.

In Hendaza neighborhood south of Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers arrested another resident who was identified as Jad’oun Khaleel E’bayat, 32. All were taken to unknown locations.