Israel Arrests Palestinian Supreme Judge

IOF Arrests Palestinian Supreme Judge, One Citizen Critically Wounded

OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM, Palestine, November 11, 2003 (IPC + Agencies)-- Israeli occupying forces (IOF) arrested Monday night the Palestinian Supreme Judge in the occupied East Jerusalem while arresting several others in raiding campaigns throughout the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

IOF troops arrested the Palestinian Supreme Judge, Sheikh Tayseer Al Tamimi, along with several others who were with him, as he was heading for the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem for prayers.

Sheikh Al Tamimi told Palestine News Agency (WAFA) on the phone that a large number of IOF troops surrounded him and four other Shariah judges while they were going to pray in the Al Aqsa mosque, after having the "Iftar" (fast breaking meal) in the city of Jerusalem.

He added that he was informed that was to be led to "Al Maskubeya" detention center and that he was under arrest. He also mentioned that the soldiers told him that he will be presented for trial tomorrow. He was not, however, informed about the charges that led to his arrest.

In the Al Thahereya Town, south of Hebron City, Palestinian security and medical sources mentioned that IOF troops patrolling a nearby bypass road opened fire at Ra'ed Al Qaisya, 22, wounding him critically.

Hospital officials in the city of Hebron said that Al Qaisya’s condition was critical, and that he was wounded in the back and shoulder, while he was going to his working place behind the Green Line.

In the meantime, Israeli military campaign on the West Bank continued. Last night, large numbers of IOF troops raided villages of Deir Ghassana and Kofr Ein, northwest of Ramallah and ElBireh governorate.

Eyewitnesses said that IOF troops raided the town early in the morning, while Israeli undercover soldiers searched the houses. IOF imposed curfew for the third consecutive day and took the arrested citizens into an undisclosed location.

The aforementioned town and villages, situated in the Western Bani Zaid area, have been subjected to extensive IOF military campaigns and arbitrary measures for the past three days, in which a large number of citizens was arrested and the residents were unable to move around.

In the Balata refugee camp, near Nablus, Israeli troops stormed dozens of Palestinian homes and conducted a search campaign.

Eyewitnesses told IPC correspondent that during the campaign, the Israeli troops arrested several Palestinian citizens, one of whom was arrested after being shot in his stomach. In addition, the troops burned down the house of Citizen Saud Al Titi after raiding it.

After the search campaign, the troops blocked streets in the camp with sand piles, preventing citizens from moving around, and fired tear gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets at the citizens who confronted the soldiers.

Additionally, IOF raided the Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem governorate, and conducted raids and house searches, which led to the arrest of a Palestinian citizen, Walid Zendiq, 47, and led him into an undisclosed destination.

In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian general security directorate said that IOF troops stationed at the Al Matahen checkpoint arrested several Palestinian citizens who were traveling inside a taxi north of the city of Khan Younis.

The directorate stated that IOF troops stopped a passing car, ordered everybody inside it out and arrested the passengers. They were then taken into an undisclosed location.

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