Israeli forces on Monday raided the workshop of a Palestinian cartoonist in the occupied West Bank, destroying his artwork and equipment, according to the artist.
Ossama Nazzal said around 30 soldiers had raided his workshop in the village of Kafr Ni'mah west of Ramallah and confiscated at least 15 pieces of artwork, including a portrait of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
"In half an hour, the Israeli army destroyed my private archive that dated back to 1988," Nazzal told Anadolu Agency.
According to Nazzal, he had not been at home at the time, but had received a call from his brother about the dawn raid, during which soldiers had confined members of his family to a single room of the house.
"It is the artist's duty to boost the spirit and morale of the people and uphold their rights," he said.
“This is a right guaranteed by law," he added. “But the [Israeli] occupation violates all rights."
Nazzal vowed to continue producing political art with a view to exposing Israel's heavy-handed practices in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli military, for its part, did not respond to requests for comment on the reported raid.
