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Israeli forces rounded up 12 Palestinians in overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli military on Tuesday.
The individuals were arrested for “suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities”, the army said in a statement, without elaborating on the nature of these activities.
The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.
According to Palestinian figures, some 6,500 Palestinians continue to languish in Israeli detention facilities, including scores of women and hundreds of minors.
The Israeli army martyred a Palestinian man on Sunday in the northern coastal area of the Gaza Strip amid ongoing demonstrations against Israel's air, land, and sea blockade.Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Palestine’s Health Ministry, said in a written statement that Mohammad abu-Ibadah, 27, was shot dead by the Israeli army during today’s demonstration.Gaza’s National Committee for Breaking the Siege launched the event from the Gaza Strip’s northern coast, not far from the heavily fortified Gaza-Israel buffer zone.It was the 13th time this year Gaza activists held the event, in which boats slowly approach the maritime border before hastily retreating in the face of intense machine-gun fire.Israel first imposed its Gaza blockade in 2006 after Palestinian movement Hamas, which supports armed resistance against Israel’s decades-long occupation, swept Palestinian legislative polls.The following year, Israel ratcheted up the blockade after Hamas seized the entire Gaza Strip -- which it still holds today -- from rival Palestinian faction Fatah.Still in effect, the blockade has crippled Gaza’s economy, depriving the enclave’s more than 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.PLO suspends recognition of Israel
Israel martyrs Palestinian amid protests in Gaza
The Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said late Monday it is suspending its recognition of Israel until it recognizes a state of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to Palestine’s official Wafa news agency.Following a two-day meeting in Ramallah, the council said the PLO and Palestinian Authority will also end security coordination and suspend economic agreements as set out under the 1994 Paris Economic Protocol. It also decided to revoke the validity of the Oslo Accords.The council said the decision was made “in light of Israel’s continued denial of the signed agreements”.The decision must be approved by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the PLO Executive Council.The council also called on Palestinian group Hamas to adhere to all agreements that have been reached under Egypt's mediation to prevent divisions between Palestinian factions.A delegation from Egypt’s intelligence service arrived in the Gaza Strip last Wednesday to continue talks with Hamas leaders.The Egyptian delegation has been engaging in shuttle diplomacy between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Israel for several days, during which they have been meeting with officials of Hamas, Fatah and the Israeli government.The talks are being held with a view to reaching a truce between Hamas and Israel on one side and achieving reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions.Wednesday's visit is the third by the Egyptian delegation to the Gaza Strip within a week.On Oct. 3, a Hamas delegation concluded a four-day visit to Cairo, where they held talks with Egyptian officials on the truce and Palestinian reconciliation.The rift between Fatah and Hamas has prevailed since the latter won an overwhelming majority in parliamentary elections in 2006 and seized control of Gaza after deadly infighting a year later.PLO urges ICC probe into Gaza child killings by Israel
PLO suspends recognition of Israel