Troops Kidnap 16 Residents, Issue Orders Targeting International Activists

Tuesday October 13, 2009 18:46 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli soldiers kidnapped on Tuesday at dawn 16 Palestinians in different parts of the West Bank, and issued orders against housing international peace activists.

Nablus invasion - Image asrar-alsharq.net

The sixteen Palestinians were kidnapped in several parts of the West bank. They were all kidnapped after the army broke into their homes and searched them, local sources reported.

Meanwhile, official sources in Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank, reported that the Israeli Authorities started a campaign against international peace activists living in the West Bank.

Ghassan Douglas, in charge of settlements files in the northern part of the West Bank, said that the army waned the residents of southern Nablus villages not to house international supporters.

The decision, not new in nature especially since Israel deported dozens of activists and denied entry to others, was made particularly to sabotage the olive harvest season as activists visit the West Bank to help the villagers in harvesting their Olive trees, and in an attempt to protect them from settler attacks.

Douglas said that this decision is very serious as it comes to manipulate the truth as the activists bear witness to the ongoing settler attacks.

He added that the new order includes several villages that the subjected to constant settler attacks.

Israeli soldiers invaded several villages on Monday at night and informed the residents that housing international activists 'is illegal and results in arrests”.

Douglas stated that this order is like granting extremist settlers a free hand to carry attacks and crimes against the residents far away from the eyes of the activists and the media.

west bank | israeli attacks | news report