Irish man detained in West Bank along with activist group
· RTE.ieA 62-year-old Irish man is being detained in Israel after he was arrested yesterday along with a group of activists in the West Bank.
The man, who is from Dublin, was part of a group of international volunteers who say they provide solidarity by accompanying Palestinian farmers and helping them harvest olives.
Israeli settler violence has surged in recent weeks in the West Bank.
Eleven people from Britain, Australia, Italy, Germany, the US and Ireland were arrested in the village of Al-bweib, south of Hebron, yesterday and detained in a police station last night before being transferred to an immigration centre.
The group say they were visiting the village and not involved in any activism when they were arrested.
They also say a Palestinian man arrested with them has since been released.
Italian media is reporting that four Italian nationals are being detained and that the Italian embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem has sought urgent clarification from the Israeli authorities.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been contacted for comment.