Five Palestinian men were arrested on Monday morning by Israeli security forces across the West Bank. The men were apprehended in and around the cities of Bethlehem, Ramallah, and the Qalandia refugee camp.
Additionally, a member of the Islamic Jihad faction was arrested in the town of Nablus for illegal possession of a handgun, according to Ynet.
Meanwhile, Israel has deployed reinforcement troops in and around the town of Hebron in preparation for Monday’s evacuation of Jewish settlers from the town’s marketplace later in the day.
The market has been the scene of recent clashes between Israeli troops and settlers, who claim the area as their own.
The Israeli government had intended to forcibly oust the settlers on Monday, closing off the town to outsiders in an attempt to prevent additional settlers from aiding resistance to the evacuation process.
However, a last-minute an agreement was reached in which the settlers would voluntarily leave the area by Monday evening.
The Israeli government, in return, pledged to expedite legal proceedings in which the settlers hope to regain control of the market through legal venues.
Meanwhile, nine homes in the illegal settlements of Amona and Ofra in the West Bank will be destroyed by Israeli forces some time this week, according to Haaretz.
