WEST BANK: Israeli troops storm money changers in West Bank, confiscating money and documents relating to financial transactions

Record ID: 561083

  • Title: WEST BANK: Israeli troops storm money changers in West Bank, confiscating money and documents relating to financial transactions
  • Date: 13th February 2008
  • Summary: (MER2) HEBRON, WEST BANK (FEBRUARY 12, 2008) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MONEY CHANGING SHOP IN HEBRON, RAIDED BY ISRAELI FORCES MAN TALKING TO MONEY CHANGER OLD BILLS DISPLAYED IN WINDOW VARIOUS OF DAMAGE FROM RAID, INCLUDING OPEN, EMPTY SAFE SEARCH WARRANT FROM ISRAEL ARMY TO ENTER SHARIF WAZWAZ'S MONEY CHANGING BUSINESS MONEY CHANGER, SHARIF WAZWAZ TALKING ON PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SHARIF WAZWAZ, MONEY CHANGER, SAYING: "They (the Israelis) took me from my house towards the shop, I stayed with them for three or four house, till 4 or 3:45 in the morning. We opened the shop for them, all the shop's locks were broken,... I told them: "Why do you have to break it? I will open it for you"... I opened the shop and the safe. They took everything, the computer, the Israeli shekels, the Jordanian dinars, the coins. Even the half-shekel, they did not leave in the shop." WAZWAZ TALKING TO CLIENT WAZWAZ COUNTING MONEY PEOPLE WALKING PAST SIGN READING: "THIS MONEY CHANGER IS CLOSED BY ISRAELI ARMY ORDER" WOMAN CHANGING MONEY FROM MONEY CHANGER IN THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FADEL ABDEEN, PALESTINIAN MONEY CHANGER, SAYING: "It is intended as an economic blow more than an inspection of shops. Let us say the Israeli authorities have suspicions about something specific, problem issue, they should come and inspect and if they find anything, fine. But we were taken by surprise because there is no evidence against us, and the money was taken, the papers were taken, and over and above that, there is a military order to close down the main shop in the centre of Hebron." VARIOUS OF CLOSED MONEY CHANGER
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Finance
  • Reuters ID: LVAALY29NXTSVQ9LF8RTVH4DQ4GY
  • Story Text: Israeli troops raided the shops of money changers in five cities in the West Bank in the early hours of Tuesday (February 12), confiscating money and documents relating to financial transactions.
    The raids took place in Ramallah, Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and Hebron.
    Money changers in Hebron said Israeli soldiers asked them about recent financial transactions, demanding detailed information about financial transfers.

    "It is intended as an economic blow more than an inspection of shops. Let us say the Israeli authorities have suspicions about something specific, problem issue, they should come and inspect and if they find anything, fine. But we were taken by surprise because there is no evidence against us, and the money was taken, the papers were taken, and over and above that, there is a military order to close down the main shop in the centre of Hebron," said Palestinian money changer Fadel Abdeen. Abdeen, who also owns a jewellery store in Hebron, accused Israeli forces of seizing some $200,000 dollars.
    Money changer Sharif Wazwaz said the Israeli army had cleaned out his shop.

    "They (the Israelis) took me from my house towards the shop, I stayed with them for three or four house, till 4 or 3:45 in the morning. We opened the shop for them, all the shop's locks were broken,... I told them: "Why do you have to break it? I will open it for you"... I opened the shop and the safe. They took everything, the computer, the Israeli shekels, the Jordanian dinars, the coins. Even the half-shekel, they did not leave in the shop," said Wazwaz.
    Tensions have increased in recent days since the Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed an Israeli woman and for a rocket attack that resulted in an eight-year-old Israeli boy losing part of his leg.
    Hamas's Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades issued a formal statement claiming "full responsibility" for Monday's (February 4) suicide bombing in the southern Israeli desert town of Dimona, where a top-secret nuclear reactor is located.
    Israeli leaders warned this week that Hamas political leaders could be targeted for assassination.
    Political leaders like Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of Hamas's government in Gaza, have been keeping a low profile and have stopped using cellular phones that can be tracked by Israel.
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