Israel's army arrests 12 people overnight

Israeli forces arrested 12 people overnight Monday, witnesses and Israel's army said. Six people were detained in al-Mughayyir village, northeast Ramallah, while three people were arrested in villages southwest of Ramallah, an Israeli army spokeswoman said. Three others were detained in villages surrounding Hebron. One of the men detained in al-Mughayyir reportedly had a rifle, the spokeswoman added. Witnesses said four of the men detained in Ramallah were students at Birzeit university. They were named as Bayan Nasan, Walid Abu Alia, Musa Muhammad, and Khaled Muhammad. Soldiers detained Jamal Abu Sneihen, 15, Ahmad Masalmeh, 15, Ayesh Ekhlel, 17, and Muhammad Masalmeh, 15, from Hebron, witnesses said. All detainees were taken for security questioning, an Israeli spokeswoman said. Around 40 percent of Palestinian men living in the occupied territories have been detained by Israel at some point in their lives. Israel has occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since 1967.