Palestinian sources said the activists were arrested in the West Bank cities of Bethlehem, Ramallah and the Jordan Rift Valley. They said that they were arrested after Israeli security forces carried a thorough search of their houses.

Israeli security sources said the raids only targeted “wanted Palestinian terrorists.”

The sources added that the suspects were taken to unknown locations for questioning by the Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet. The Palestinian Authority (PA) says the Israeli raids prevent its security forces from tightening their grip on the Palestinian territories.

Israel does not allow the PA to have any security role in specific areas in the West Bank that the 1993 Oslo peace agreement between the two sides classified as C areas.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said that Israeli forces raided the village of Jalqamous, east of Jenin, and handed four Palestinian youths a summons order issued by Shin Bet. The sources said the four youths would be interrogated by Shin Bet over alleged anti-Israeli activities.

Also in the West Bank, Israeli authorities raided the village of Bil’in, to the west of Ramallah, in search for foreign peace activists.