Israeli troops arrest brother of suspected West Bank terrorists

Israeli soldiers conduct raids in West Bank village of Kobar on December 31, 2018

Times of Israel reports, “Israeli security forces overnight Friday arrested a West Bank man whose two brothers have been implicated in two recent terror attacks, Palestinian media reported. Mohammad Barghouti, 17, was detained by troops in Kobar, a village near Ramallah, according to local media. Israeli defense officials have said Mohammad’s brother Asem is suspected of carrying out a deadly terror attack on December 13 near the Givat Assaf outpost in the West Bank.”

“Palestinian media said Israeli forces threatened family members that they could be deported to Jericho if they did not give up Asem within days. Another brother, Salih, was shot dead on December 12 in Kobar as he attacked Israeli security forces in an attempt to evade arrest. He was suspected of having carried out a terror attack near the Ofra settlement three days earlier, on December 9. Seven people were wounded in the drive-by shooting attack on a bus stop outside Ofra, including a 30-weeks pregnant woman who was seriously injured. Her baby was delivered in an emergency operation, but died days later. Salih’s participation in the Ofra attack was confirmed by the Hamas terror group.” (more…)