12 held after West Bank settlement demo

An Israeli anti-settlements activist and an American journalist were among 12 people detained by soldiers on Friday during a demonstration in the West Bank, an activist group's spokeswoman said. "The Israeli army arrested five Israeli activists including Jonathan Pollack and five foreigners as well as Ben Ehrenreich of the New York Times magazine and a Palestinian farmer working his land," Abir Kopty said. Kopty, spokeswoman for a group that coordinates "popular resistance" in the Palestinian territories, was speaking after the weekly demonstration in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh. "The army arrived together with border guards equipped with handcuffs to arrest" demonstrators, she said. The Israeli police and military said they were looking into the report. Since 2009, Nabi Saleh has been the site of weekly demonstrations staged by Palestinian villagers and Israeli and international activists who oppose encroachment by a neighbouring Jewish settlement.