Israel arrests 19 Palestinians in West Bank raids
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 | 15 May 2018
- Modified Date: 12:22 | 15 May 2018
Israeli forces detained 19 Palestinians in overnight raids across the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli military.
The Palestinians were arrested for "suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities," the army claimed in a Tuesday statement, without elaborating.
The arrests came amid tension across Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, where at least 59 Gazans were martyred by Israeli forces during rallies marking the Nakba anniversary and relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
More Palestinian protests are expected on Tuesday, which marks the 70th anniversary of Israel's creation, an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "the Catastrophe".
According to official Palestinian figures, some 6,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including 62 women and about 350 minors.
The Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank on the pretext of searching for "wanted" Palestinians.
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