Last night, Israeli occupying forces launched a widespread raid campaign in the city of occupied Jerusalem. The operation resulted in dozens of arrests, intrusions into prisoners’ homes, property demolitions, and the confiscation of vehicles, possessions, and money.
These raids across villages, towns, and districts of Jerusalem led to the arrest of nearly 30 Palestinians after their homes were stormed and ransacked. This brings the total number of detainees in the area over recent weeks to approximately 350.
According to the Palestinian News and Information Agency, 25 of those arrested last night were from villages isolated from Jerusalem by the separation wall, while the rest were from within the city.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center, a human rights organization, reported that the raids involved “thorough searches and destruction of entire rooms and house contents.” Details include “meticulous inspection of cabinets, books, clothes, and food, physical searches of family members, and the tearing of the Quran.”
Furthermore, the occupying forces stormed at least 10 former prisoners’ homes. They “confiscated vehicles, money, and gold jewelry.” Specifically, the home of the freed Jerusalem prisoner, Hassan Umeira, was searched, its contents destroyed, his vehicle and wife’s gold jewelry confiscated, and he was fined 140,000 shekels.
The rights center also highlighted the confiscation of the vehicle of the detained Jerusalem Deputy, Ahmed Atoun, following a raid on his house in Sur Baher village. Gold belongings were taken from the mother and sister of the freed prisoner Hisham Al-Bashiti, in addition to his vehicle.
On a separate note, Israeli forces released Jerusalem researcher Nasser Al-Hadmi yesterday, hours after his arrest, and handed him a deportation order to the West Bank. Meanwhile, the detention of Jerusalem activist Khadija Khweis was extended by the occupying authorities until next Friday. She was arrested last Wednesday on charges of “incitement.”
