Inside the PA arrest campaign in Hebron's hideout

As Palestinian security forces prepared for a raid into the Israeli-controlled zone of Hebron at dawn on Friday, a Ma'an correspondent was given an inside glimpse into the first mass arrest-sweep of this refuge since a 1997 deal split the city. Forces arrested some 55 Palestinians sheltering in the southern West Bank city's H2 area, which had been off limits to Palestinian security under an agreement that separated Hebron into Israeli and Palestinian jurisdictions. A Palestinian security official told Ma'an Israel granted access to the forces after pressure from Europe and the US. In early January, security officers had launched a more limited raid, arresting eight Palestinians before a gun battle broke out which injured two residents. Ma'an's correspondent joined forces in Hebron's security compound late Thursday, as forces worked to locate their targets on an aerial map of the city. "Nasser, one of the field officers, was giving instructions to his men to avoid harassing or insulting any citizen, saying that the raid was meant to capture fugitives without any mistreatment to civilians," Ma'an’s correspondent said. Hundreds of security officers set out at 2 a.m. to southern Hebron, with each division heading to specific targets. The largest group deployed to Tariq Bin Ziad street where the operation was coordinated. Criminal suspects appeared to have been notified about the raid in advance, and they tried to block the main road to the Johar mountain area with a car and rubbish bins. Security officers removed the vehicle and the bins after sappers checked they were not booby-trapped. Ma'an's correspondent accompanied forces raiding several of the homes that night. "Security officers knocked at the door, and asked residents to leave. First, female officers would enter the house to check on women and children, and then male officers would enter and inspect the house," he said. Before dawn broke, 53 suspects were apprehended, without the gun battles that beset the previous raid. Palestinian intelligence officers later raided two homes in Hebron's Sheikh neighborhood at 5 a.m., detaining two more Palestinians. Residents told Ma'an they hoped the raid would end the use of the Israeli-controlled zone as a refuge by criminals. Israel has full security control over the H2 zone, which includes Israeli settlements but also Palestinian residential areas and Hebron's Old City. Around 800 Jewish settlers live among 30,000 Palestinians in areas of Israeli jurisdiction.