14 foreign nationals and three Palestinians were arrested yesterday (Saturday) on suspicion of disturbing public order and violating a lawful order near the village of Ras Karkar, in the Ramallah area of the West Bank. The police announced this today (Sunday). Following their interrogation, the details of the foreign nationals were forwarded to the Population and Immigration Authority for a hearing and consideration of the possibility of deporting them from Israel.
According to the police statement, IDF and Border Police forces were called to the area following a report of a disturbance and detained the 17 suspects. Officers from the Modi'in Illit police station subsequently arrived at the scene, and the detainees were taken to the police station for questioning.
The police claim that the investigation, conducted in cooperation with the Foreign Nationals Desk of the Judea and Samaria District's Central Unit, raised suspicions that the foreign nationals had arrived in the area with the aim of provoking confrontations and generating media campaigns against Israel. The police also claimed that several of the suspects support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) and other organisations that the police define as anti-Israel.
According to the police, the investigation materials concerning the 14 foreign nationals were forwarded to the Population and Immigration Authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for a hearing and a decision on their deportation. The police statement did not specify whether a decision had already been made regarding their cases or whether indictments had been filed. The investigation of the three Palestinian suspects is ongoing.