IDF arrests 21 Palestinians, seizes suspected gunsmith tools
Military begins preparations to destroy home of Palestinian man who killed soldier by dropping stone slab on his head
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
Israeli troops arrested 21 Palestinian suspects and shuttered an illegal weapons manufacturing workshop in a series of raids across the West Bank on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, the military said.
Riots broke out in two Palestinian villages as a result of the raids, with residents throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and explosives at IDF troops, who retaliated with less-lethal weapons and gunshots fired into the air, the army said.
No Israeli injuries were reported.
Troops also began preparations to demolish the family home of Islam Yousef Abu Hamid, a Palestinian man suspected of killing IDF soldier Ronen Lubarsky earlier this year by dropping a stone slab on his head, the IDF said.
Abu Hamid, who was arrested in June, lived in the el-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah.
The army said troops mapped out the family’s house to ready it for razing, confirming a report in official Palestinian news outlet Wafa.
In the town of Yatta, near Hebron, in the southern West Bank, the military raided what it said was a workshop used to illegally manufacture Carlo-style submachine guns, a cheap variety of locally produced firearm that has been used in a number of terror attacks and is prevalent in the West Bank.
The military confiscated some of the machinery from inside the workshop, hauling it away with a truck.
“This action came after a significant operation conducted yesterday with the Shin Bet security service that thwarted a weapons deal in the area of the Judea Regional Brigade,” the IDF said in a statement, referring to the Hebron area.
“As part of the operation, two people were arrested who were suspected of selling and manufacturing weapons, and a locally produced Carlo-style gun was seized,” the army said.
In the central West Bank, Israeli troops arrested a group of Palestinians who the army said started a fire outside the Bat Ayin settlement in the central West Bank.
“Following the arrest of the suspects, a violent riot broke out in the Beit Ummar village, during which residents threw stones and Molotov cocktails, rolled burning tires, launched fireworks and hurled an improvised explosive device at the troops,” the army said.
“The troops responded by firing into the air and using less-lethal dispersal weapons against the rioters. No troops were injured,” the IDF said.
The second riot broke out in Beit Rima in the central West Bank as IDF troops raided the village.
“Rioters threw stones, Molotov cocktails and a pipe bomb at the troops, who responded with riot dispersal weapons. There were no injuries, but damage was caused to military vehicles,” the army said.
The 21 Palestinians arrested were suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, rock-throwing and taking part in violent riots against Israeli security forces, according to the IDF.
The suspects were handed over to the Shin Bet for questioning.
Adam Rasgon contributed to this report.
