IDF soldiers try to open safe in Ramallah, start a fire

A fire broke out in a Ramallah money exchange storefront believed to be financing terrorism overnight Wednesday, when IDF soldiers tried to open a safe using a supposedly controlled explosion.

The troops entered the establishment as part of a “joint operation of the IDF, police and border guards” to investigate the funding of terror groups, an army spokesperson said.

When the owner of the money exchange “refused to open the safe, the forces who were there carried out the detonation in a controlled way,” the army said.

Despite the efforts to control the explosion, a fire broke out and quickly spread to adjacent stores.

A total of 10 shops and offices were damaged in the commercial building, according to Palestinian security forces.

Nael al-Azzeh, a spokesman for Palestinian security forces, said the fire at the Al-Ajouli company was extinguished by Palestinian forces.

The military said the raid was an operation “to confiscate terror funds” but did not elaborate which groups the money exchanger is suspected of funding.

Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian Authority government, is under Palestinian control as stipulated by the Oslo peace agreements from the early 1990s.

A spokesman for PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah’s office condemned the incident as a violation of agreements.

“(Israel) continues its incursions into Palestinian areas, affecting the population, including putting them in danger,” Jamal Dajani told AFP

Elsewhere in the West Bank, IDF troops arrested 14 Palestinian suspects. Nine of them were arrested for rock throwing or taking part in violent demonstrations. The other five were suspected of membership in the Hamas terrorist organization.

News agencies contributed to this report.