380 Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in last 20 days

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces have detained at least 380 Palestinians in raids across the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the last three weeks, including 21 early Thursday alone.

The Palestinian Prisoner's Society said in a statement on Thursday that Israeli authorities have engaged in a wide-ranging crackdown on Palestinians that has led to the arrests of nearly 200 in East Jerusalem since the beginning of November.

The startling figures come amid growing instability in Jerusalem, while daily protest marches by Palestinians have been held across the city and Israeli authorities have been accused of "collective punishment" in their response to a series of attacks by individual Jerusalem Palestinians on Israelis.

In addition to the 190 Palestinians detained in East Jerusalem, the PPS said that 70 were from Hebron, 32 from Ramallah, 24 from Bethlehem, 18 from Jenin, 14 from Tulkarem, 14 from Nablus, nine from Tubas, five from Salfit, and four from Qalqiliya.

The arrests add to the more than 5,000 Palestinians who are already being held in Israeli prisons, including hundreds without charge or trial under a procedure known as "administrative detention."

On Thursday morning, Israeli forces reportedly detains dozens more across East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which have both been under military occupation since 1967. more

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