Israeli troops kidnapped four men on Tuesday, during invasions targeting a number of areas in the West Bank. All four are members of the local Popular Committees Against the Wall and Settlement construction in their villages.
In the early hours, Israeli troops stormed the village of Nil’in, central West Bank, and kidnapped three member of the local Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements construction.
Soldiers left the village, taking with them Ibrahim Amirah, the coordinator of Ni’lin’s Popular Committee as well as Zaidoun Srour, a well known activist in the village. The third man Hassan Mousa was released after being detained the troops from some time.
Amirah has previously been arrested twice under the same suspicion of organizing demonstrations against the Wall in Ni’lin, but was not charged. Protests have been held in the village of Nil’in since May 2008.
Meanwhile at the village of Bil’in, also central West Bank, where anti-wall protests have been taking place for the past five years, Israeli troops kidnapped a young activist for his involvement in the weekly protests.
In the last six months, the military have come to 21-year-old Yaseen Yaseen’s home numerous times, attempting to take him into custody. He is one of many activists arrested for attending weekly non-violent demonstrations.
Yesterday, Israel staged a night raid into Area A, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, to kidnap international solidarity activist Eva Nováková for overstaying her visa. Such an incursion into Area A over an expired visa is extremely unusual. A Czech national, Nováková served as the International Solidarity Movement’s media coordinator for the past three weeks. She was deported from the Ben Gurion airport at 6am this morning.
In the past month, the army has staged eleven night incursions into Ni’ilin. Since May 2008, when demonstrations began in the village, 94 residents have been arrested in connection to the protests. Similar raids have been conducted in the village of Bil’in, where 34 residents have been arrested in the past six month.
Among those arrested in the recent military campaign are also five members of the Bil’in Popular Committee, all suspected of incitement, and include Adeeb Abu Rahmah – who has already been held in detention for almost six months and Abdallah Abu Rahmah – the Bil’in Popular Committee co-ordinator.
Prominent Nablus grassroots activists, Wael al-Faqeeh, as well as Jamal Juma (East Jerusalem) and Mohammed Othman (Jayyous) of the Stop the Wall NGO, involved in anti-Wall and boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigning have also been kidnapped recently. All three are currently being held based on secret evidence and with no charges brought against them.
