Israel destroys Palestinian nursery, makes arrests across West Bank

Israeli forces destroyed a nursery in Jerusalem on Tuesday, amid a wave of arrests in the occupied West Bank.

A Palestinian nursery school and a home in Beit Safafa, Jerusalem were destroyed by Israel, Palestine's official Wafa news agency reported.

Israeli forces accompanied a bulldozer belonging to the Jerusalem municipality as they razed the nursery, according to reports.

In addition, a Palestinian home close to Mount Sabih, a key site of illegal Israeli settlement activity in recent months, was destroyed, Wafa said, again based on the statements of informants in the area.

The Palestinian Authority's Ghassan Daghlas, who tracks north West Bank settlement efforts informed the outlet Tel Aviv's security accompanied a bulldozer into Yatma village.

There was no reason given for levelling the home or nursery.

Israeli soldiers also arrested several Palestinians in raids across East Jerusalem and the West Bank early on Tuesday.

Three Palestinian students were detained in Ramallah, Arabi 21 said.

This followed Israeli forces raiding homes in Al-Bireh, a city in the same occupied West Bank governorate as Ramallah.

Israel commonly knocks down Palestinian homes it claims are constructed illegally in Jerusalem, as part of a broader campaign of repression. Palestinians say it is virtually impossible to obtain building permits from Israeli authorities.

In addition, a Palestinian home close to Mount Sabih, a key site of illegal Israeli settlement activity in recent months, was destroyed, Wafa reported.

Israeli security used tear gas against Palestinians at an entrance to Ras Karkar, a town also in the same area, before implementing a checkpoint there.

Tear gas and rubber bullets were launched by Israel, in the Jericho region, where Aqbat Jabr refugee camp was raided and saw clashes erupt with security.

At another refugee camp in illegally occupied East Jerusalem, Shuafat, Palestinian youths launched Molotov cocktails at an Israeli army tower.

Opinion: Emad Moussa says that #Israel knows the formula is simple: “no geographical congruity or administrative unity between #Gaza and the #WestBank means no independent state.”https://t.co/XZReMl0zKK

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) August 17, 2021

East Jerusalem's Isawiya neighbourhood saw Israeli security in more clashes with Palestinians, again at an entrance to this part of occupied East Jerusalem with two young Palestinians detained.

Others were arrested in Hebron, a flashpoint city where tensions have arisen over the Ibrahimi Mosque - Palestine's second holiest Islamic site.

In Hebron, homes were searched and checkpoints set up by Israeli forces.

Israel regularly carries out large waves of arrests in the West Bank, and house demolitions are also common.

In the Al-Bustan part of Jerusalem's Silwan neighbourhood, a court battle continues over the destruction of approximately 100 Palestinian homes.