Israeli army arrests 3 Palestinian police officers in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army said on Wednesday it arrested three Palestinian police officers in the occupied West Bank, alleging that they set up a checkpoint, stopped an Israeli citizen and assaulted him.

The army said in a statement that its forces "apprehended 3 Palestinian police officers who were involved in setting up a roadblock in Area C near Beitunia, detaining and assaulting an Israeli civilian," describing the incident as an overstepping of their authority to operate in the area.

The three officers are being questioned by Israeli security forces, it added.

The Israeli security establishment described the incident as a "serious overstepping" by Palestinian security services that "endangered the life of the Israeli civilian and involved the use of severe and excessive force against him."

Area C accounts for more than 60% of the occupied West Bank and remains under Israeli security and civil control under the Oslo Accords.

The Palestinian police did not immediately comment on the Israeli army's statement.