Israeli forces arrest 16 in West Bank, including female knife assailant

Israeli security forces arrested 16 Palestinians Thursday, including a female assailant who stabbed a policeman in the West Bank, said Israeli and Palestinian sources.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club (PPC) said in an emailed press statement that the Israeli army carried out an arrest campaign throughout the West Bank and arrested 16 Palestinians.

The statement elaborated that the cities in which the campaign was concentrated are Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarem, Qalqilia and Hebron, and included 15-year-old girl, Hadiya 'Ereinat, from Al-Auja village near Jericho.

The Israeli public radio reported that 'Ereinat is accused of stabbing a policeman while on duty on road 90, a main road cutting the village of Al-Auja. The policeman was reportedly directing traffic in the village after a tree fell on the main road.

The policeman was lightly wounded, reported the radio, and the girl was apprehended for questioning.

The radio also said that among the arrested are an affiliate of the Islamic Hamas movement and three others who are accused of "involvement in terrorist popular acts and violent riots".

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources told Xinhua that Israeli forces imposed a security cordon on area south of Nablus city.

The sources added that the military forces closed down two villages entrances by sand barriers and two checkpoints on the way to Nablus city, after "two Palestinians escaped into those areas after attacking two Israelis with knives Wednesday night."

The Israeli radio said that the army forces carrying out a manhunt in the area in search of the two assailants, who attacked two soldiers near Har Brakha settlement near Nablus, leaving the soldiers with light and moderate injuries.

A recent wave of tension broke out between Palestinians and Israel last October, killing over 180 Palestinians and about 30 Israelis. Endit