Israel detained 12 Palestinians from West Bank, including mayor

Israeli occupation forces arrested 12 Palestinians, including a mayor, from the occupied West Bank last night, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) reported.

According to a statement issued by the PPS, Israeli forces rounded up five Palestinians after ransacking their houses in Bethlehem.

One of the five detainees was identified as a resident of Umm Salamuna village, south-west of Bethlehem, two others as residents of Marah Rabah village, south of Bethlehem city, and two others as residents of Beit Sahour city.

During the raid in Jericho, the PPS said, Israeli occupation forces stormed Ein Sultan, west of the city, in military vehicles and rounded up one and physically assaulted another.

It added that a similar military raid was conducted in Silat Ad-Dhar town, south-west of Jenin, where soldiers, Wafa said, arrested the town Mayor, As‘ad Amin Hantouli, and a former prisoner.

READ: Israel arrests more than 40 Palestinians including ex-prisoners

The Israeli army carries out frequent arrest campaigns across the West Bank – including in occupied East Jerusalem – on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.

According to PPS, Israeli occupation forces arrested more than 3,000 Palestinians from the start of 2020 until the end of August.