US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Israeli police arrested Palestinian Authority Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Ashraf al-Awar on Wednesday morning, August 19, 2026, during a raid on his residence in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem for questioning.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Israeli Forces Arrest Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs
According to officials from his office and the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli forces stormed his home and took him into custody for questioning. However, Israeli authorities have not yet released an official statement or provided a reason for his detention.
The arrest follows previous Israeli enforcement measures against al-Awar, including a prior six-month order barring him from entering the occupied West Bank, which had been subsequently extended.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Context and Background of Arrest
The Palestinian Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs is technically based in Al-Ram within the West Bank, while official meetings are held in Ramallah. Israel heavily restricts Palestinian Authority political activity inside East Jerusalem.
This detention aligns with an intensified campaign by Israeli authorities since October 7, 2023, which has severely curtailed Palestinian political, social, and economic activities across occupied East Jerusalem.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Ashraf Al-Awar
Ashraf Hassan Abbas al-Awar was appointed as the Jerusalem Affairs Minister in 2024 by PA Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
As minister, his mandate is to support East Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents and oversee the city’s specific political and institutional interests. However, because Israel considers the entire city its undivided capital, it strictly prohibits the PA from operating or holding political activities inside Jerusalem’s borders.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: History of Legal Actions Against Him
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Interrogations: This raid is not his first encounter with Israeli intelligence; he has previously been summoned for questioning at the Al-Maskubiya detention center in Jerusalem.
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West Bank Entry Bans: In early 2025 and again in January 2026, Israeli authorities handed al-Awar consecutive six-month travel bans barring him from entering the occupied West Bank.
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Institutional Impact: The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs has condemned these legal restrictions as a “systematic escalation” designed to paralyze official Palestinian institutions and isolate leadership from the local population. Because of these entry bans, al-Awar has faced severe logistical challenges in attending Palestinian government meetings, which are conventionally held in Ramallah.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Broader Political Context
The status of East Jerusalem remains one of the most contested aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, while Israel claims sovereignty over the whole city—a stance not recognized by most of the international community.
In addition to arresting high-profile figures, Palestinian officials report an increase in home demolitions, expanding settlement activity, and heavier policing of social, cultural, and political movements across East Jerusalem.
