Tension in the West Bank and Shuafat: General strike and arrests

Various areas of the West Bank and Shuafat refugee camp witnessed a state of tension since Wednesday morning, in light of the continuous raids by the Israeli Occupation forces and the assault and abuse of Palestinians. A general strike took place in Nablus and the schools in Jerusalem, in compliance with the decision of civil disobedience issued by the residents of Shuafat camp, rejecting the imposed siege on the camp and Anata for the fifth day in a row.

The youth closed the streets of some neighbourhoods and towns in the city of Jerusalem and students, workers and employees complied with the decision not to go to school and work.

At dawn today, protests erupted in Bir Ayoub neighbourhood in the town of Silwan, and the Occupation forces were deployed in the neighbourhood’s streets.

On Wednesday morning, the youth closed the streets of the Shuafat refugee camp with tyres.

The Occupation authorities continue to impose a siege on the Shuafat and Anata refugee camp since last Saturday evening, by closing the entrances and carrying out round-the-clock raids into homes and shops, in addition to oppressing and harassing the residents, targeting them with wastewater and gas bombs.

Activists and committees in the area warned that basic food supplies would run out if the siege continues, and companies are not allowed to enter to deliver goods.

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In the early morning hours, Palestinian gunmen targeted the Salem Military Checkpoint west of Jenin, with a heavy barrage of bullets, and they withdrew from the place, without the Occupation reporting any injuries or damage to the military site.

The general strike took place today, Wednesday, in the city of Nablus, in response to the call of the Lions’ Den groups.

Shops and restaurants did not open their doors in the morning, while the city’s streets witnessed little movement of vehicles.

The Lions’ Den groups had announced that Wednesday would be a day of mobilisation, a general strike and a comprehensive protest in every point in the West Bank, in solidarity with the residents of Shuafat camp in occupied Jerusalem, who are facing a siege and restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation.

The Occupation forces tightened their measures at the Surra checkpoint and closed the Tal Road and Asira Al-Shamaliah road towards Naqoura. It also set up barriers at the entrances to Sebastia and at the entrance to Beit Furik.

The Occupation soldiers stormed houses on the outskirts of Sebastia and climbed the roofs.

The national and Islamic forces in Jerusalem responded to the call for the strike, which includes all aspects of life, including public transportation, to demonstrate the need to protest at the Occupation checkpoints to reject the siege of Shuafat.

In this context, the Palestinian Bar Association suspended work in all courts and public prosecutions, in light of the escalation of the comprehensive Israeli aggression, and its rejection of collective punishment and the siege imposed on Jerusalemites in Shuafat camp.

Birzeit University responded to the calls of the Lions’ Den for a comprehensive strike, by suspending the University’s working hours today, calling for presence in all the battlefields with the Occupation.

The Prisoners’ Club reported that the Occupation forces carried out raids on various areas in the West Bank, where dozens of houses were stormed and their contents disturbed, and their residents were subjected to field investigations after being detained for hours.

The Prisoners’ Club stated that the Occupation forces arrested 10 young men from the West Bank, who were referred to the Occupation’s security services for interrogation, under the pretext of participating in acts of popular resistance.

The Occupation forces arrested 5 Palestinians from Ramallah, the children Jihad Odeh Al-Haj, Mahmoud Abu Hashish and Jamil Muhammad Abu Hashish, in addition to Atallah Badr, all of whom are from Beit Sira.

The Ramallah arrests included Ahmed Ghaleb Zaidan, from Kafr Nima, west of the city.

From Jenin, the occupation forces arrested the released prisoner, Youssef Taher Fashashfa, and Karam Fashafsha from Jaba, and Muhammad Hafez Sa`idah from Al Yamoun.

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