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Seven Palestinians were arrested in overnight raids carried out across the West Bank, according to the Israeli military.
The individuals were arrested for “suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities”, the army said in a Wednesday statement without elaborating on the nature of the activities.
The detainees have since been remanded into custody for further investigation, the statement added.
The Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.
According to Palestinian figures, approximately 6,500 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, including scores of women and some 350 minors.
Palestinians have appealed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to intervene to save the Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, which is at the risk of demolition by Israeli authorities.Merkel is scheduled to arrive in Israel later Wednesday for a two-day visit during which she will hold talks with Israeli officials on relations between the two countries.She will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin before attending a round-table discussion between German and Israeli officials.Merkel, however, will not visit Ramallah or meet Palestinian officials during her visit.Israel slowly encroaching all of Jerusalem“The European Union has warned against the consequences of tearing down the village and Merkel should send a clear message to Israeli officials that the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar would expose Israel to accountability,” prominent Palestinian activist Mustafa Barghouthi told Anadolu Agency.He called on the German Chancellor to stand against Israel's “ethnic cleansing policy” against the Palestinians in general and Khan al-Ahmar residents in particular.According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Merkel is expected to raise the issue of Khan al-Ahmar demolition during her talks with Israeli officials.The newspaper said that the hamlet will not be demolished during Merkel’s visit due to “diplomatic sensitivities”.Gaza bids farewell to 12-year-old martyrHaaretz said ahead of Merkel’s visit, members of Israeli and German opposition parties met and formulated a joint statement calling for “ending the occupation and stopping the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar.” The meeting was led by Knesset member Mossi Raz of the left- wing Meretz party and German lawmaker Omid Nouripour.“The evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar is a war crime that contravenes international law. I hope the international community will mobilize to help stop the demolition of the community and put pressure on the Israeli government,” Raz told Haaretz.On Tuesday, Palestinians demonstrated against the demolition, with many waving Merkel’s pictures amid calls for her to stop the demolition plans.Palestinian students protest Israeli law amid clashesOn Sept. 5, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled to demolish Khan al-Ahmar and evict the village’s Bedouin inhabitants.Israel plans to expel some 10,000 Bedouin residents of what is known as the E1 Zone, which sits on 15 square kilometers (5.8 square miles) of land in East Jerusalem, to make way for housing units linking Jerusalem to the Ma'ale Adumim settlement.If implemented, the plan would effectively cut the West Bank in two, preempting the possibility of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders.In early July, Israeli bulldozers destroyed a number of tents and other structures in Khan al-Ahmar, sparking clashes with local residents.There are 46 Bedouin communities -- inhabited by some 3,000 residents -- scattered across Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.Under the 1995 Oslo agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), the West Bank -- including East Jerusalem -- was divided into Areas A, B and C.Area A falls under the administrative and security control of the PA; Area B falls under the administrative control of the PA and the security control of Israel; and Area C -- in which Khan al-Ahmar is located -- falls under the administrative and security control of Israel.
Palestinians appeal to Merkel to save Bedouin hamlet
Israeli police will question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday on corruption suspicions, according to Israeli media.Investigators will grill Netanyahu on suspicions that he awarded favors to Israel’s telecom company Bezeq Telecom in return for favorable coverage on the company’s news site, according to Israeli Channel Two on Wednesday.Netanyahu was quizzed by investigators for four hours in August over the same case.Netanyahu has been the subject of criminal investigations in separate corruption cases. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.In February, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for alleged corruption, saying there was now sufficient evidence to formally charge him in two separate graft cases.The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for Netanyahu and his wife.The second relates to an alleged deal -- again for favorable media coverage -- with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
Israeli PM to be grilled on graft allegations on Friday