PA forces arrest Islamic Jihad members in raid on Jenin refugee camp

Palestinian news source reports of hundreds of security forces entering camp in the northern West Bank overnight.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

OCTOBER 5, 2013 19:30

Palestinian security forces 370 (photo credit: REUTERS) — Palestinian security forces 370

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Palestinian Authority security forces made several arrests during a raid in the Jenin refugee camp overnight Friday.

Those arrested reportedly included several Islamic Jihad members.

Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported that hundreds of Palestinian security forces entered the camp in the northern West Bank on Friday night.

“Brigade 9 and special operation units conducted operations in villages, in Jenin refugee camp, and in some of the city of Jenin’s neighborhoods searching for fugitives,” Jenin Gov. Talal Dweikat told Ma’an on Saturday.

Dweikat told Ma’an the central goal of the crackdown was “to serve Palestinian citizens and to protect their interests.”

According to Dweikat, the campaign was not related to Palestinian political factions or political infighting. Instead, he said, it was aimed at tackling disorder in the area, which had arisen following the death of a Palestinian last month by Israel security forces during clashes in Jenin.

Islam al-Tubasi was killed when security forces entered Jenin on a security raid to arrest him. Upon their arrival, IDF soldiers encountered a riot in which gunmen opened fire on troops and Molotov cocktails and homemade grenades were hurled by Palestinians.

Soldiers responded by opening fire.

Islamic Jihad issued a statement mourning Tubasi as one of its members.