Israeli forces detain 8 Palestinians

Ma'an
Eight Palestinians were detained overnight in Tulkarem and Ramallah on Wednesday, Ma'an's correspondent said.

In the town of Ateel, north of Tulkarem city, three Palestinians were detained, identified as Abdul Nasser Amin As-Suwais, 44, Saher Muhammad Yassin, 35, and Aysar Theeb Hamdan, 35, a member in the Palestinian intelligence.

As-Suwais served 15 years in a number of Israeli prisons and was released in 2009. He has been detained on more than ten occasions, Ma'an's correspondent said.

As-Suwais' family said nearly 10 Israeli military vehicles surrounded the house and a number of intelligence officers arrived carrying files, taking him to an unknown location....

Raid on anti-wall movement stronghold

In Ramallah, five detentions were made by Israeli forces during a night raid into Nabi Saleh, a village west of the city. Those detained were taken to an unknown location.

Village Mayor Bashir At-Tamimi said the forces raided the village at 2am and stormed a number of homes, conducting searches.

At-Tamimi told Ma’an that the forces detained four brothers, who he identified as Mustafa, 27, Majd, 23, and twins Oday and Luay At-Tamimi, 15. The forces also detained Ta'min At-Tamimi, 27, he said.

"The soldiers raided six houses and arrested five young men who regularly participate in the weekly demonstrations held in the village," At-Tamimi said in a separate statement.

The Israeli military spokesman said the army was not familiar with the detentions in Ramallah.

But the residents of Nabi Saleh have been holding regular demonstrations against the creeping confiscation of their lands by the adjacent Jewish-only settlement of Halamish. Protest was sparked after settlers took over a natural spring belonging to the village.

The village is home to some 500 people. Since demonstrations there began, nine residents of the village, roughly two percent of the village's population, have been arrested on protest-related suspicions, At-Tamimi said.  Full story