IDF Shuts Down Six Weapons Workshops in Shechem

IDF soldiers and Israel Police raided weapons workshops in Shechem overnight Tuesday – shutting down six different workshops. Components for weapons, some manufactured on site and some brought in from other places, were seized. Several weapons that had been manufactured in the workshop were seized as well. One person was arrested, and other arrests are expected.

In a statement, security officials said that such weapons were used in terror attacks as well as for criminal activity, and that security forces were determined to seize all weapons that were being held illegally by all people, in order to better protect all Israelis and residents of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, who are also under threat by terrorists and criminals.

In addition, IDF forces confiscated terror funds from several suspects in the region. The money, amounting to tens of thousands of shekels, was found in villages in the Shechem region. The money was part of payments made by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to the families of terrorists for committing terror acts against Israelis, officials said.

Overnight Tuesday, security officials said they arrested 10 wanted security suspects in other areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.