IDF raids Hamas television station in West Bank, arrests employees

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6 years ago

IDF raids Hamas television station in West Bank, arrests employees

Soldiers also confiscate broadcasting equipment at Al-Quds TV; troops nab students suspected of terror cell membership at Hebron University

By TOI STAFF Today, 12:05 pm

The IDF raided a Hamas-affiliated television station in the West Bank early Monday, arresting employees and confiscating broadcasting equipment.

In total, 20 people were arrested in overnight operations.

The army said it arrested four Palestinians suspected of incitement for their work at Al-Quds TV, which was defined earlier this month as a terror organization.

The four arrested were named by Palestinian news site Wafa as station head Ala Rimawi and three freelance journalists, Sami Ulwan, Husni Injass and Qutaibah Hamdan. Wafa also said the army seized their cars and their personal computers.

The Israeli military in recent years has shuttered a number of television and radio stations operating in the West Bank over suspected incitement and ties to terror groups.

Israeli leaders have spoken out repeatedly about the threat of incitement in Palestinian media, while Palestinian television programs are cited in Shin Bet interrogations of terrorists as sources of inspiration.

The army said it also arrested a group of Hebron University students suspected of comprising a Hamas cell and of inciting others to commit terror attacks. During the operation the army confiscated propaganda documents. It also distributed leaflets warning locals not to involve themselves with terror.

In addition, security forces arrested five Palestinians in Qalqilya suspected of Hamas activity and involvement in facilitating terror operations in the past few months.

During the operation riots broke out in three locations. The army said they were dispersed using crowd control methods.

Source: The Times of Israel