Israeli Raids and Global Condemnation

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that “Israeli forces launched a series of raids and arrests in several cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, including Bethlehem, Hebron, and Ramallah, as part of a campaign against Palestinian exchange companies.” The Israeli forces stormed the towns of Tuqu’ and Al-Asakrah in the Bethlehem Governorate, and several Palestinians were injured near the entrance to the town of Idhna west of Hebron city, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Additionally, the official Palestinian TV reported that “Israeli forces withdrew from the center of Ramallah and Al-Bireh cities, leaving 24 injuries.” Local sources stated that Israeli forces arrested at least three Palestinians after raiding an exchange shop in the besieged area in the center of Ramallah and Al-Bireh cities, seizing all its contents. Earlier, 21 countries signed a joint statement describing Israel’s approval of a major settlement project in the West Bank as “unacceptable.” Israel had earlier approved plans to build on a land area of approximately 12 square kilometers (five square miles) known as “E1” east of Jerusalem. The foreign ministers, including those from Australia, Canada, and Italy, stated: “We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms.” The statement was also signed by Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden, as well as the head of foreign affairs in the European Commission.