WEST BANK, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) closed the headquarters of the Jenin Central Zakat Committee and confiscated its contents during a raid in Jenin City, and carried out assaults and arrests in other areas of the West Bank on Thursday.
Nasri Hamamra, member and treasurer of the Jenin Central Zakat Committee, said that Israeli forces stormed Abu Bakr Street in central Jenin early Thursday morning, where the Awqaf buildings adjacent to the committee’s headquarters are located, before sealing the headquarters completely by welding its doors shut and preventing access to the area.
Hamamra added that the IOF put up posters claiming the headquarters was illegal and providing unlawful services before withdrawing from the area.
According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli forces loaded a cargo truck with files and documents they seized from the headquarters related to poor families and orphans supported by local and foreign entities, in addition to office equipment, including computers, printers, copiers, and safes.
Hamamra denied the presence of any security-related materials, affirming that the committee is well known for its charitable work.
In the same IOF raid, Israeli soldiers assaulted a Palestinian and seized fertilizers and pesticides after storming an agricultural business in Jenin City.
Meanwhile, the Jenin Directorate of Education postponed school hours until 9:00 a.m. local time, awaiting the withdrawal of Israeli forces as a precaution to protect students.
In Nablus, activist Mahdi Faydi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Israeli forces stormed, in the morning, the headquarters of Sheikh Hussein’s charitable kitchen affiliated with “Madeed Charity,” raiding the site just days after shutting down the charity’s offices.
They also detained Madeed director Ahmad Duwaikat, interrogated him, and later released him.
In the northeast of Ramallah, Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters toward Al-Mughayir Boys’ High School, with no reported injuries.
The IOF also carried out raids and arrests in other parts of the West Bank today.
The arrests included two Palestinians from the town of Dura in al-Khalil, three others from Nablus City and the town of Askar al-Balad east of the city, as well as a young man from al-Fari’ah refugee camp in Tubas after being summoned for interrogation at the Salem military base.
Another young man was kidnaped by the IOF from Qalandia refugee camp north of Occupied Jerusalem, and others from the town of Kafr Qallil in Nablus and the town of Deir al-Ghusun in Tulkarem.
Three other young men were taken prisoner following an IOF raid in the town of al-Sawahra.
In the Old City of Jerusalem, the Israeli police banished a school child identified as Ragheb al-Ja’bah from the Aqsa Mosque for six months. He is a student at Riyad al-Aqsa High School inside the holy site compound.
In Bethlehem, Israeli forces stormed the town of Nahalin, breaking into and ransacking homes and businesses and detaining several Palestinians for interrogation before later releasing them.
In a separate incident, Israeli forces stormed an area in the northern Jordan Valley and delivered stop-work orders for structures and cattle barns belonging to Palestinian citizens.
The IOF also delivered demolition notices against several homes and facilities in the town of Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.