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Israel arrested more than 6,000 Palestinians in 2017

January 1, 2018 at 5:32 am

Israeli forces detain a Palestinian man during protests against US President Donald Trump’s announcement to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on 16 December 2017 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]

Israeli army detained 6,742 Palestinians along the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank in 2017, according to Palestinian human rights organisations.

In a joint statement, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)-linked Palestinian Committee of Prisoners and Released Prisoners’ Affairs, Palestinian Prisoners Committee, Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights said the arrests in 2017 included 1,467 children, 156 women, 14 Palestinian Legislative Council members and 25 journalists.

The statement also said some detainees were later released.

As of Sunday, there are 6,950 Palestinian prisoners, including 359 children, 22 journalists and 10 MPs, in Israeli prisons, it added.

There are also 450 prisoners who are under “administrative detention”.

Under the policy of administrative detentions, prisoners can be held without trial for periods ranging from six months to a year.

Israeli forces frequently raid Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and detain local Palestinians, claiming they are “wanted” by Israeli security agencies.

The statement also said 2,436 Palestinians, one-third of whom are children, have been arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

Read: Erdogan hails Turkish nation’s firm stance on Jerusalem in New Year’s message

While the international community has almost unanimously disagreed with Donald Trump’s announcement, reports suggest that the announcement was done with the pre-agreement of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Arabia going as far as, allegedly, stating to the Palestinian President to accept a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem as the alternative Palestinian capital.

Since the announcement, Saudi Arabia’s royal court has sent notices to the nation’s media outlets to limit the airtime given to protests against Trump’s announcement.

Emboldened by Trump’s annoucement, Israeli housing Minister Yoav Galant announced plans to build 14,000 new settlement units in the occupied Jerusalem.

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