Israel rounds up 22 Palestinians in West Bank raids

By Awad Rajoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Israeli army forces detained 22 Palestinians in overnight raids carried out across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to local media.

Most of the arrests took place in the town of Silwad, north of Ramallah, where 13 Palestinians were taken into Israeli custody, the Voice of Palestinian radio reported.

Israeli forces also raided the house of Qadura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner Society NGO, the broadcaster said.

“The arrest campaigns are part of a war of attrition aimed at inflicting harm against Palestinians and destroying their property,” Fares said.

The Israeli army, for its part, said in a statement that 16 “wanted” Palestinians were arrested and weapons seized during raids in the West Bank.

The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi in Ankara contributed to this report