Israeli army detains Italian activist in occupied West Bank

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army on Monday detained a foreign activist from the Dheisheh refugees camp, in the southern Bethlehem city of the occupied West Bank.

The official Wafa news agency identified the activist as Italian named Stefania in her fifties.

It added that she was detained from the home of Palestinian journalist Nidal Abu Aker who is being held in Israeli jails.

Speaking to Anadolu, Hazem Abu Aker, one of the residents whose home was stormed by the Israeli forces in the Dheisheh refugees camp, said the Italian activist was detained after searching several homes where the Israeli forces checked the IDs of the women to arrest her.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society, an NGO, confirmed that the Israeli forces raided the home of journalist Abu Aker, harassed his family and detained a foreign activist.

Abu Aker served nearly 18 years in Israeli jails most of the time he was placed under the administrative detention without charge or trial. His last arrest was in August.

The policy of administrative detention allows Israeli authorities to detain anyone for six months without charge or trial, which can be extended indefinitely.

During the raid on the Dheisheh refugees camp, a Palestinian boy, 14, was shot in his head by the Israeli forces, and was later pronounced dead.

There was no statement from the Israeli army regarding the developments in the West Bank.

Tension has been running high across the West Bank in recent weeks amid repeated Israeli raids to detain what they say "wanted Palestinians" or to demolish Palestinian homes. The raids have sparked clashes with Palestinians, causing several fatalities.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar