A Palestinian journalist, Moumen Sumrein, was among the six people injured when Israeli security forces carried out a violent raid in the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The raid began post midnight on Wednesday and continued till the early morning hours of Thursday. According to reports, a large army contingent with over 100 vehicles and hundreds of soldiers descended on the city. The Israeli army claimed that the raid was to demolish the home of Palestinian prisoner Islam Froukh, who is accused of being involved in last year’s bomb blast in Jerusalem which killed two people and injured 14 others.
Following the arrival of Israeli soldiers, hundreds of Palestinians mobilized to resist the illegal invasion. Israeli soldiers began attacking the protesting Palestinians with stun grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets, and even live bullets. The Palestinians defended themselves by throwing stones at the heavily armed soldiers. Six Palestinians were ultimately hospitalized, three of them with bullet injuries. Moumen Sumrein, who was reportedly wearing press fatigues, was shot in the head with a rubber bullet and is currently being treated.
The Israeli forces eventually demolished the house of Islam Froukh. Israel regularly demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of attacks against its citizens. Human rights groups and the international community have urged Israel to stop this form of “collective punishment.” The demolition has led to Froukh’s parents and sister becoming homeless.
The Palestinian Fatah party, which governs the Palestinian-ruled parts of the occupied West Bank through the Palestinian Authority, called the demolition a war crime. Palestinian officials, activists, and rights groups have condemned the Israeli government for the frequent raids in the occupied West Bank. Already this year, Israeli forces and settlers have killed close to 160 Palestinians including women and children. Many of the deaths occurred during violent raids by the Israeli forces.
