Israeli forces continued their military operations in the West Bank and Jerusalem on Monday, September 21, 2026. They carried out raids and arrests in various areas, with a significant military presence and strict controls on the entrances to Palestinian towns and villages. According to the Palestinian Center for Media, Israeli forces raided several towns and villages in the Jerusalem governorate, including Badou, Anata, and Hazma, and set up military checkpoints around them.
The Jerusalem Governorate reported that Israeli forces were holding at least 53 Palestinian youths in a detention center set up in a house they had seized during the raid. The military operations are ongoing, with restrictions on the movement of residents and one of the houses being used as a detention and interrogation site. This is part of a broader escalation of Israeli military activities in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, Israeli forces continued to besiege and raid the town of Al-Mughayir, east of Ramallah. They carried out a campaign of raids and arrests, targeting several Palestinian citizens. The forces had raided Al-Mughayir the previous day, arresting at least 35 people, confiscating vehicles, and turning homes into military barracks.
The military operations were not limited to Jerusalem and Ramallah, as raids and arrests were also reported in other governorates, including Jenin, Tubas, Qalqilya, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Hebron. These operations included searches of homes, detention of Palestinian citizens, and arrests of others after raiding their homes.
In recent days, there has been a significant increase in Israeli military activities in the West Bank, with the imposition of checkpoints, restrictions on the movement of citizens and vehicles, and raids on homes and civilian institutions. On Sunday, Israeli forces carried out raids and arrests in several governorates, with reports of clashes, tear gas, and strict controls on roads and main entrances.
The escalation of Israeli military activities comes as a semi-annual period of Jewish holidays, including the Day of Atonement, which ends on Monday evening. There are concerns about attempts to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and impose a division of the mosque by time and space. The Palestinian Center for Media reported that Israeli authorities have allowed settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque since 2003, despite repeated requests from the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem to stop these incursions.
According to data from the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Housing, there are approximately 750,000 settlers living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, distributed across 156 settlements and 360 outposts. The settler incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque and the West Bank have been a source of tension, with 628 reported incidents in August alone.
Key points
- Israeli forces have arrested at least 53 Palestinian youths in a detention center in Jerusalem.
- The Israeli military operations have resulted in the arrest of dozens of Palestinian citizens and the imposition of strict controls on roads and main entrances.
- The escalation of Israeli military activities has raised concerns about attempts to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
