Israeli forces kidnapped, on Thursday, 39 Palestinians from occupied West Bank districts of Jenin and Hebron districts, according to reports by security sources.WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency stated that Israeli forces raided Fahma village, to the south of Jenin, where they arrested 32 Palestinians after breaking into and ransacking their homes.
During the raid, forces fired concussion grenades and tear gas canisters at local residents, triggering clashes.
Near Kafrit, soldiers stationed at a flying military roadblock abducted one Palestinian from Ya‘bad, to the southwest of the city.
Forces also raided Kafr Dhan, to the west of Jenin city, where they took three Palestinians aged 16 and 17 years, after breaking into and conducting an extensive search on their families’ homes.
Meanwhile, in the Hebron district, troops raided Beit Ummar to the north of the city, where they kidnapped a 16-year-old Palestinian after breaking into and damaging the contents of his family’s home; the youth is still being treated for injuries sustained after being shot by Israeli forces in August.
Two Palestinians, aged 24 and 40 years, were also abducted after forces into their homes in the Farsh al-Hawa and Wadin al-Samn neighborhoods of Hebron city.
Also raided in Hebron was the neighborhood of Abu Iktaila, where several homes were broken into by Israeli forces, who seized equipment from a local stone-cutting factory.
Israeli forces frequently targeted Palestine stone-cutting factories and other industrial facilities, causing extensive losses economic losses to their owners.
According to the Union of Stone and Marble Industry, the industry supports about 15,000 – 20,000 direct jobs and the sector generates about $60 million of exports, and is concentrated in the Bethlehem and Hebron districts.
On Friday, in addition to these arrests, three Palestinian youth were taken while exiting al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, after performing Friday prayers, according to Israeli police.
Police posted on Twitter that ‘masked youths’ had pelted Israeli police with stones following prayers, but that other Palestinians had intervened to stop them.
The three suspected of throwing stones were then taken into custody, according to the police.
For the fifth week in a row, Israel has eased restrictions on Palestinians seeking entry to the mosque from East Jerusalem and from Israel, Al Ray stated.
Palestinians have reportedly reciprocated by avoiding conflicts with Israeli police and troops deployed around the area.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is built on grounds which are considered to be sacred by Muslims, Christians and Jews alike, and is often target with violence by militant settler groups wishing to perform Talmudic ceremonies there.
Search IMEMC: ‘al aqsa’ for extensive and detailed reports on this subject.
