Israel Arrests More Palestinians in Overnight Raids in West Bank

Rasa - Israeli forces rounded up more Palestinians in overnight raids in Israel-occupied West Bank, as the arrests come amid tension in the Palestinian territories after US President Donald Trump’s decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the Washington embassy to the city.

News ID: 435410

Date: 18 December 2017 - 18:47

RNA - Israeli forces detained 18 Palestinians in overnight raids in the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli military, World News reported.

In a statement on Monday, the army said the suspects were detained for questioning for alleged involvement in “terrorist” activities.

The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns in the West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians.

According to Palestinian official figures, more than 6,400 Palestinians are currently held in detention facilities throughout Israel.

Israeli forces have detained more than 430 Palestinians since the United States officially recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, which sparked bloody clashes across the occupied West Bank in recent days.

Trump announced last Wednesday that Washington would be recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital, stressing that the United States would relocate the embassy in the occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.

The move was hailed by Israel but condemned by the rest of the international community as one which undermines the peace talks.

Washington’s al-Quds move has raised a chorus of outcry across the international community. The Muslim world, the UN, world leaders from Europe to the Middle East to Australia, and even US allies in the West have criticized the bid, saying it would plunge the already tumultuous region into new upheaval.

Heavy clashes also broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters after Washington's decision in Jerusalem al-Qud's Old City, Hebron (al-Khalil), Bethlehem and Nablus in the West Bank as well as the besieged Gaza Strip.

According to reports, thousands of Palestinians were wounded by Israeli army's fire during protests against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, while hundreds more were detained by Israeli forces and police. Also, the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers left ten dead.

Also, the Palestinian ministry of public health in Gaza announced that the Israeli occupation forces use unknown gas bombs which caused cases of stress, convulsion, vomiting, coughing and rapid heartbeat among the Palestinian civilians. It stressed that the Zionist forces fire bullets directly on the Palestinian protestors.

The Israeli regime forces use brutal and excessive force against the civilians and the rescue teams as well as the medics, according to the Palestinian ministry which called for denouncing the racist actions of the Israeli authorities.

People in different countries have also hit the streets to denounce Trump's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in a statement issued following an extraordinary summit in Turkey's Istanbul on Wednesday, declared East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine "under occupation" and urged the US to withdraw from the peace process and back down from its Jerusalem decision.

847/940