The Israeli military is exploring ways to end its long-established practice of arresting Palestinian suspects in night-time raids across the West Bank, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday. The move reflects Israel's growing sensitivity to international criticism of its operations in the Palestinian territories. According to the Jerusalem Post interview with Lt.-Col. Maurice Hirsch, the Israeli army's chief prosecutor in the West Bank, the military will begin to issue written summons instead of sending troops to apprehend suspects of security-related offenses. The military has long maintained that arresting suspects at night helps avert violent clashes in Palestinian towns and villages, but the practice has long come under fire from foreign governments and international rights groups who cite ill-treatment of minors and alleged torture and abuse. "We have done daytime arrests. They resulted in wide-scale protests, gun fights and greater danger to both Palestinians and Israeli security forces," Hirsch said, adding, "If we bring a suspect to interrogation without the need for an arrest operation.. . that is best." The pilot program for the written summons plan comes at a time when Israel is facing growing international condemnation. The report cited a scathing UNICEF report issued late last year that slammed Israel's treatment of Palestinian minors, an unknown number of whom are detained in night-time operations. Once the pilot program is implemented, Palestinians summoned by injunctions would be expected to turn up for questioning by their own volition, rather than by being handcuffed and pulled out of their homes. "We approach this with an open mind, and are going to try to make it work," Hirsch said. He emphasized, however, that Israel has no intention of compromising its security needs and law enforcement in the West Bank, adding the military will continue to employ night arrests whenever a suspect poses an immediate danger. Hirsch added if suspects ignore the summons, Israeli security forces would pursue them with arrest when required. "We have no intention of reducing the intensity of the fight against Palestinian terrorism, stone throwing and offenses committed by minors."