West Bank & al-Quds: Detention campaigns, confrontations & provocation

By Al Mayadeen English
9 Feb 2024 15:26
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Israeli occupation forces raid multiple areas in the West Bank, arresting a number of Palestinians, including journalist Hamza al-Saffi in Tulkarm, where confrontations erupted at several points in the city.

A Palestinian woman flashes a V-sign towards Israeli troops during an army raid in the Tulkarm refugee camp, West Bank, Palestine, Wednesday, January 17, 2024. (AP)

Israeli occupation forces raided several areas in the West Bank, on Friday, arresting seven Palestinians, including a journalist, while simultaneously offering Israeli settlers protection as they carried out a provocative parade in the occupied old city of al-Quds.

Today, as Muslims commemorate Isra' and Mi'raj, Israeli settlers, protected by Israeli forces, are provocatively marching and singing inside the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, fueling frustration among Palestinians as Israeli forces bar them from entering Al-Aqsa mosque. pic.twitter.com/LCcUvkCUNY
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 8, 2024

In Tulkarm, the IOF arrested:

Journalist Hamza Al-Saffi, 31, after storming his home.

⭕ Zionist forces kidnapped journalist Hamza Al-Safi after storming his home in Tulkarm. pic.twitter.com/XPgPwkkp1v
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) February 9, 2024

Formerly freed detainee Mohammed Judat Qasim Shahrour, 27, after storming his home.

⭕ The occupation forces kidnapped the freed captive Muhammad Shahrour, after storming his home in the city of Tulkarm. #WestBank pic.twitter.com/f3pHcLy6Wd
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) February 9, 2024

Ashraf Al-Taher after storming his home.
Odei Yassin after storming his home.

⭕ Zionist occupying forces kidnapped the young man, Uday Yassin, during an abduction campaign in Tulkarm at dawn today. pic.twitter.com/NU30LOkEEP
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) February 9, 2024

Basel Abu Tamam also after storming his home.

The Israeli occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods across the city, raided multiple homes, and stormed into a blacksmith workshop belonging to the Shritah family after breaking down its doors.

Confrontations, stun grenades

During the raids, confrontations broke out between the resisting youth and the occupation forces in several parts of the city, during which the IOF fired tear gas canisters, and stun grenades without reporting any injuries.

In the village of Sinjil north of Ramallah, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians, Abdul Hafiz, Mohammed Shabbaneh, and Hamza Tawfesh, after raiding and searching their homes, and stole three vehicles and a sum of money.

⭕ The occupation forces continue to carry out a campaign of abduction among civilians in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. #WestBank pic.twitter.com/qM0cMXTWRx
— Palestine Captives 𓂆 (@Palestinecapti1) February 9, 2024

Israeli soldiers also raided the village of Bidrus, west of Ramallah, where they were confronted by the Resistance.

In al-Khalil, Israeli occupation forces stormed the towns of Yatta to the south and Bani Naim to the east, and deployed in several neighborhoods in both towns. They also raided the town of Beita south of Nablus and the villages of Baka al-Hatab and Haja in Qalqilya, spraying racist slogans on the walls of citizens' homes and tearing up pictures of martyrs and detainees.

Meanwhile, in the town of Beit Fajjar south of Beit Lahm, a number of Palestinians suffered from suffocation due to the Israeli occupation forces firing tear gas canisters towards their homes.

It is also worth noting that the Israeli occupation forces continue to obstruct Palestinians from making their way to the Holy Al-Aqsa mosque for prayer, especially on Fridays. Hwoever, hundreds made their way today while others were detained as they tried to reach the mosque.

Scenes from the courtyards of Al Aqsa mosque right now, as hundreds of worshipers made it to the holy mosque despite the Israeli attacks and restrictions. pic.twitter.com/1DOvEfsjRC
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 9, 2024

Israeli intelligence fears 'explosive' month of Ramadan in West Bank

Israeli military and intelligence authorities, on February 5, expressed concern regarding the upcoming month of Ramadan, recommending that concerned authorities ease measures against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is set to commence in early March this year, and the holy month is synonymous with several occasions that Muslims celebrate. Recently, the occupation has severely restricted the entry of Palestinians to one of the holiest sites, al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied al-Quds. The measure comes hand in hand with increased systematic oppression of Palestinians in the occupied territory, including wide-scale detention campaigns and assassinations against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The above cases are only a glimpse of what has been happening in the occupied #WestBank way before October 7. pic.twitter.com/HoeFbdE1zm
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 7, 2024

In this context, Israeli military and intelligence officials have recommended that restrictions be eased, fearing that "Hamas could take advantage of the most important time for Muslims as a chance to ignite the [West Bank]," Yoav Zitun, the military affairs analyst for Israeli news website Ynet, wrote.

At the core of discussions in Israeli decision-making quarters is allowing Palestinian workers entry into '48 occupied territories. According to Zitun, the Israeli authorities are discussing a process to permit 100,000 Palestinians into occupied territories. Thousands of Palestinian families are seeking work opportunities in occupied territories due to degenerating economic conditions in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which comes as a direct result of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Since "Israel" launched its aggression on the Gaza Strip, it also banned all Palestinian workers from entering '48 occupied territories.