West Bank Sweep Yields 19 Firearms and One Chained Man
Police seized a cache of stolen military weapons in Kalansuwa and rescued a resident in Rahat who had been shackled to his home's floor.
By Giovanni Serrano ·
Israeli police and military forces conducted a series of operations across the West Bank and central Israel this weekend, resulting in multiple arrests and the recovery of stolen military equipment. The coordinated efforts culminated in the discovery of a substantial weapons cache and the rescue of a man who had been restrained in his own home.
In the Wadi Rahal area near Bethlehem, investigators located the body of an East Jerusalem resident in his 40s. Forensic teams and IDF soldiers collected evidence at the scene. Police stated that initial findings suggest the incident was criminal in nature rather than terror-related. The body was scheduled for transfer to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to determine the specific cause of death.
Security forces also acted on intelligence in Bethlehem, arresting a Palestinian man alleged to have ties to Hamas. Officers searched his home and that of another resident suspected of holding illegal weapons. They seized a loaded hunting rifle, IDF uniforms, and various technological items. Both men were taken to the Ma'ale Adumim police station to face charges for possessing illegal weapons and unauthorized military equipment.
A separate arrest occurred near Hebron, where officers detained a man in his 30s for possessing a hunting rifle and a large quantity of ammunition. In Kalansuwa, a majority-Arab city in central Israel, police and Border Police units uncovered a large cache of weapons stolen from the IDF. The seizure included a Kalashnikov rifle, three M-16 assault rifles, eight handguns, six fragmentation grenades, two stun grenades, and three tactical vests. Thousands of rounds of ammunition were also recovered. Two family members present at the site were arrested for questioning as the investigation continues.
In Rahat, police rescued a man during an operation aimed at confiscating illegal weapons. They found his leg shackled to the floor of his home. Preliminary findings indicate his family members chained him due to his drug use. The man's brother, a resident of Rahat, was arrested and taken to the local police station for questioning.
The operations reflect a continued push to reduce violent crime in Arab sectors and maintain security in the West Bank. Police have not released further details regarding the suspects or the specific circumstances of the arrests as of the latest reports.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
