A Palestinian resident of Deir Samet, west of Hebron, was arrested Monday morning on suspicion of dumping sewage into stream channels in the West Bank and posting videos of the acts on social media.
According to police, the suspect published footage in recent weeks showing him discharging sewage waste into streams. In accompanying posts, police said, he boasted about his actions and claimed they were intended to harm Israeli residents and Israeli territory.
Arrest of one of the suspects
(Photo: Israel Police)
The suspect was arrested at his home by detectives and officers from the Judea District's Hetz unit and taken for questioning on suspicion of groundwater pollution. Police said a sewage tanker truck owned by the suspect was seized and transferred to the Civil Administration.
In a separate operation, officers from the same unit arrested a 52-year-old Bethlehem resident on suspicion of possessing weapons.
During a search of his home, police said officers found a Glock handgun, a magazine and ammunition. He was taken for questioning and is expected to appear in court, where police will seek an extension of his detention.
A third suspect, an 18-year-old Palestinian from Sa'ir, north of Hebron, was arrested on suspicion of throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces.
Police suspect that on July 1 he threw stones from the yard of his home at IDF troops traveling nearby, and that on April 10 he threw stones from the roof of his home toward IDF forces. He was taken for questioning by the Hetz unit, and police are also expected to ask a court to extend his detention.