Israeli forces invade Nablus and Al Bireh cities

Nisreen Qumsieh, IMEMC, 27/09/07. Israeli military forces invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus and the refugee camps of Balata, el-Ein and Askar Al Jadeed in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Security sources told WAFA that Israeli forces, backed by large number of military vehicles, invaded the area from several directions using heavy fire.

The military spread itself into several neighborhoods of the city and around the refugee camps. Soldiers besieged several buildings, forcing residents from their homes, ransacking them and taking away items of property. No injuries or abductions were reported.

In a separate operation, Israeli forces invaded several neighborhoods in the West Bank city of Al Bireh, near Ramallah, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Security sources said that scores of Israeli military vehicles entered the Um Al Sharayet, Al Shurfa and Samerames neighborhoods.

Troops launched house-to-house searches in the Um Al Sharayet district. They confiscated property and caused damage to residential buildings. No Abductions were reported.

Israeli forces kidnap 3 Palestinians from Qalqilia, one from Hebron, two from Bethlehem

IMEC staff, 19/09/07. Israeli forces kidnapped three Palestinians from the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Palestine News Agency, WAFA , reported that Israeli forces invaded the city, storming several neighborhoods, besieging homes and ransacking them. Some items of property were also confiscated.

The abducted Palestinians were later identified as: Ala Al Far, Abed Al Rahman Kasho'wa and Mohammad Abu Mariam. They have been transferred to an unidentified detention center.

In the southern West Bank city of Hebron, during a military operation in the area, Israeli forces kidnapped one Palestinian, summoning another to Israeli Intelligence.

WAFA sources reported that the kidnapped man is Shadi Abu Tu'ma. He was taken from his home in the Al Fuwar refugee camp while it was being searched by the army.

Israeli sources reported that military operations around the Al Fuwar refugee camp have been stepped up from Tuesday night when the area was closed and civilian movement prohibited.

In a separate operation, the Israeli army abducted two Palestinians from the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Security sources reported that a large force of Israeli soldiers backed by reinforcements invaded the city center and the village of Nahleen tightening security measures in the area.

The same sources reported that troops besieged Palestinians houses, kidnapping two men who were later named as: Samer Hijazi, 28 and Ghassan Najajra, 24. Troops moved them to an unidentified Israeli detention center.