Israeli troops destroyed five foreign exchange depots and a bank in the West Bank early Wednesday, making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars the army said was earmarked for terrorism.
 
The troops entered Nablus and Jenin overnight, pulling Jenin money changers from their homes and forcing them to open their businesses, two Jenin money changers said. The army confiscated hundreds of thousands of dollars, although the exact amount was not immediately known.
 
The Israeli military refused to give details of the operation, saying only that forces operated in Nablus overnight targeting "funds that serve terrorism and the terrorist infrastructure."
 
In 2004, at the height of a Palestinian uprising, Israeli troops raided two banks in the West Bank city of Ramallah, confiscating $9 million (€7.11 million) the army said belonged to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups.
 
Mohammed Assar, a money changer in the West Bank town of Jenin, said troops made off with $254,000 (€200,727), and destroyed his business.
 
"They took me from my house and forced me to open the door and took everything I have: money, checks, dollars, shekels," Assar said. "They didn't leave me anything except for the rubble."
 
Hussein Yunis, another money changer in Jenin, said his son was pulled out of the house in the middle of the night and dragged to their place of business.
 
"They took my son and took everything inside," Yunis said, adding that it was still not clear how much money was missing.

Source: BBC News

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