22 july 2016
The Israeli authorities extended on Friday the detention of a Palestinian girl after she was arrested over a Facebook post.
A statement by the Israeli police claimed that the Palestinian girl Kamar Munasra wrote in a Facebook post that she wants to die while defending herself against the Israelis.
The girl was kidnapped from her own family home on Tuesday after she was accused of her intent to carry out an anti-Israeli attack.
Her remand was extended until Sunday on the same allegation. The Arab 48 news site quoted lawyer Muhammad Tarbiyeh as stating that the Israeli court ruled for extending Kamar’s detention for three days.
A statement by the Israeli police claimed that the Palestinian girl Kamar Munasra wrote in a Facebook post that she wants to die while defending herself against the Israelis.
The girl was kidnapped from her own family home on Tuesday after she was accused of her intent to carry out an anti-Israeli attack.
Her remand was extended until Sunday on the same allegation. The Arab 48 news site quoted lawyer Muhammad Tarbiyeh as stating that the Israeli court ruled for extending Kamar’s detention for three days.
Dozens of soldiers attacked, Friday, the weekly nonviolent protest in Bil’in village, in the central West Bank district of Ramallah, kidnapped four Palestinians, including a Journalist, and briefly detained a local photojournalist.
The soldiers used excessive force against the protesters and kidnapped four Palestinians, identified as journalist Khaled Sabarna who works for an Iranian news agency, in addition to the head of the Local Council in Bil’in Khaled Mansour, Journalist Emad Burnat (the director of Five Broker Camera Documentary about Bil’in), and local activist Ashraf Abu Rahma.
The soldiers also detained photojournalist Haitham Khatib, after confiscating his cameras, and released him later.
Many Israeli and international peace activists participated in the weekly protest, and marched from the center of the village while carrying Palestinian flags and chanting for liberation and independence.
The coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Colonies in Bil’in, Abdullah Abu Rahma, said the Israeli military assaults and violations will never be able to stop the nonviolent protests.
“We reject this illegal occupation, and its colonies – our protests will continue,” Abdullah said, “Every part of occupied Palestine is subject to daily assaults and violations by the soldiers and the armed colonist settlers. This occupation must end.”
It is worth mentioning that, last Friday, Ashraf Abu Rahma (who was kidnapped today) told the IMEMC that the soldiers were continuously filming him, and that he believes they intend to abduct him later.
The soldiers used excessive force against the protesters and kidnapped four Palestinians, identified as journalist Khaled Sabarna who works for an Iranian news agency, in addition to the head of the Local Council in Bil’in Khaled Mansour, Journalist Emad Burnat (the director of Five Broker Camera Documentary about Bil’in), and local activist Ashraf Abu Rahma.
The soldiers also detained photojournalist Haitham Khatib, after confiscating his cameras, and released him later.
Many Israeli and international peace activists participated in the weekly protest, and marched from the center of the village while carrying Palestinian flags and chanting for liberation and independence.
The coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Colonies in Bil’in, Abdullah Abu Rahma, said the Israeli military assaults and violations will never be able to stop the nonviolent protests.
“We reject this illegal occupation, and its colonies – our protests will continue,” Abdullah said, “Every part of occupied Palestine is subject to daily assaults and violations by the soldiers and the armed colonist settlers. This occupation must end.”
It is worth mentioning that, last Friday, Ashraf Abu Rahma (who was kidnapped today) told the IMEMC that the soldiers were continuously filming him, and that he believes they intend to abduct him later.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Friday arrested a Palestinian young man at a military checkpoint near Qalandiya town, north of Occupied Jerusalem.
According to local sources, Israeli soldiers arrested 24-year-old Ahmed Zaid, from Jenin, at that checkpoint, claiming that he was trying to enter the 1948 occupied lands.
Israel uses hundreds of permanent and makeshift checkpoints and roadblocks in the West Bank as traps to restrict the movement of Palestinians, and to arrest and abuse them.
According to local sources, Israeli soldiers arrested 24-year-old Ahmed Zaid, from Jenin, at that checkpoint, claiming that he was trying to enter the 1948 occupied lands.
Israel uses hundreds of permanent and makeshift checkpoints and roadblocks in the West Bank as traps to restrict the movement of Palestinians, and to arrest and abuse them.
Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Friday at dawn, one Palestinian in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and summoned four others for interrogation. The soldiers also invaded two villages, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The Bethlehem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers invaded the Saff street, searched many homes, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Ali Ismael al-Battat, 18.
It added that the soldiers also invaded Beit Fajjar town, south of Bethlehem, searched homes and summoned Mahmoud Mousa Taqatqa, Mahmoud Mustafa Taqatqa and Obeida Radi Deeriyya, for interrogation in the Etzion military base.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Doha town, west of Bethlehem, searched homes and summoned Anas Adnan Mallash for interrogation, also in Etzion base.
The soldiers were also extensively deployed in various areas in the Bethlehem district, especially in Beit Jala city, al-Baloa’ area in the al-Khader town, in addition to invading stores in Beit Sahour city and the al-‘Obeydiyya town, east of the Bethlehem, and confiscated several surveillance tapes.
In related news, the soldiers invaded Beit Liqya and Kharbatha al-Misbah villages, near Ramallah, drove through several neighborhoods, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
The Bethlehem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers invaded the Saff street, searched many homes, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Ali Ismael al-Battat, 18.
It added that the soldiers also invaded Beit Fajjar town, south of Bethlehem, searched homes and summoned Mahmoud Mousa Taqatqa, Mahmoud Mustafa Taqatqa and Obeida Radi Deeriyya, for interrogation in the Etzion military base.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Doha town, west of Bethlehem, searched homes and summoned Anas Adnan Mallash for interrogation, also in Etzion base.
The soldiers were also extensively deployed in various areas in the Bethlehem district, especially in Beit Jala city, al-Baloa’ area in the al-Khader town, in addition to invading stores in Beit Sahour city and the al-‘Obeydiyya town, east of the Bethlehem, and confiscated several surveillance tapes.
In related news, the soldiers invaded Beit Liqya and Kharbatha al-Misbah villages, near Ramallah, drove through several neighborhoods, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
21 july 2016
Israeli police forces on Thursday kidnapped the Arakib village elder and his two sons, sparking tension across the area.
Activist Saleem al-Arakib said clashes burst out between Palestinian locals and the Israeli policemen in the unrecognized Arakib village.
The Israeli policemen and border guards have been cordoning off the village and razing Palestinian lands for the fifth day running.
The activist urged Palestinians in 1948 Occupied Palestine and the human rights institutions along with the Arab MKs to intensify presence in the village and stand firm to the Israeli assaults on the village and its Bedouin inhabitants.
A number of children were rushed to hospital after they fell over during the clashes. Over the past six years, the Israeli authorities knocked down the Arakib village, which is one of 45 Palestinian villages in the Negev unrecognized by Israel, for over 100 times as part of a preplanned scheme of ethnic cleansing.
Activist Saleem al-Arakib said clashes burst out between Palestinian locals and the Israeli policemen in the unrecognized Arakib village.
The Israeli policemen and border guards have been cordoning off the village and razing Palestinian lands for the fifth day running.
The activist urged Palestinians in 1948 Occupied Palestine and the human rights institutions along with the Arab MKs to intensify presence in the village and stand firm to the Israeli assaults on the village and its Bedouin inhabitants.
A number of children were rushed to hospital after they fell over during the clashes. Over the past six years, the Israeli authorities knocked down the Arakib village, which is one of 45 Palestinian villages in the Negev unrecognized by Israel, for over 100 times as part of a preplanned scheme of ethnic cleansing.
Palestinian professor Imad Barghouthi appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court against his indictment by an Israeli military court for “incitement” due to posting on Facebook, said his lawyer, Jawad Boulos.
In the context of this appeal, the Ofer military court postponed Barghouthi’s hearing until 21 August, following the Supreme Court’s action on the appeal.
Barghouthi, a renowned Palestinian professor, was sentenced to administrative detention without charge or trial, an act which sparked protests from scientists and academics around the world.
When he was scheduled to be released on 29 May, the Israeli occupation prosecution instead filed “incitement” charges against him.
Barghouthi is among hundreds of Palestinians targeted for arrest, imprisonment and military prosecution for writing and speaking on social media about their experience under occupation and support for Palestinian liberation.
In a related development, lawyer Boulos said following a prison-visit that the two Palestinian detainees Muhammad and Mahmoud Balboul, from Bethlehem, have continued their hunger strike in protest at being held administratively in an Israeli jail without charge or trial.
In the context of this appeal, the Ofer military court postponed Barghouthi’s hearing until 21 August, following the Supreme Court’s action on the appeal.
Barghouthi, a renowned Palestinian professor, was sentenced to administrative detention without charge or trial, an act which sparked protests from scientists and academics around the world.
When he was scheduled to be released on 29 May, the Israeli occupation prosecution instead filed “incitement” charges against him.
Barghouthi is among hundreds of Palestinians targeted for arrest, imprisonment and military prosecution for writing and speaking on social media about their experience under occupation and support for Palestinian liberation.
In a related development, lawyer Boulos said following a prison-visit that the two Palestinian detainees Muhammad and Mahmoud Balboul, from Bethlehem, have continued their hunger strike in protest at being held administratively in an Israeli jail without charge or trial.
The Bethlehem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) in the occupied West Bank has reported that Israeli soldiers invaded Hindaza area, and Aida refugee camp, kidnapped two Palestinians and summoned two others for interrogation.
The PPS stated that the soldiers kidnapped Mahmoud Hasan al-Wreidan, 40, from Hindaza area, east of Bethlehem, and summoned his father and his brothers Aseed and Islam for interrogation in Etzion military base.
Furthermore, several Israeli military jeeps invaded Aida refugee camp, searched homes and kidnapped Shadi Abdul-Razeq Badawna, 27.
The soldiers also invaded the home of Haroun Saleh Qassem, 30, and summoned him for interrogation, after violently searching his property.
On Wednesday at night, the soldiers kidnapped a young Palestinian man from Meithaloon village, southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, after stopping him on a military roadblock near Qalqilia. The Palestinian has been identified as Adel Wasfi Rabay’a.
The PPS stated that the soldiers kidnapped Mahmoud Hasan al-Wreidan, 40, from Hindaza area, east of Bethlehem, and summoned his father and his brothers Aseed and Islam for interrogation in Etzion military base.
Furthermore, several Israeli military jeeps invaded Aida refugee camp, searched homes and kidnapped Shadi Abdul-Razeq Badawna, 27.
The soldiers also invaded the home of Haroun Saleh Qassem, 30, and summoned him for interrogation, after violently searching his property.
On Wednesday at night, the soldiers kidnapped a young Palestinian man from Meithaloon village, southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, after stopping him on a military roadblock near Qalqilia. The Palestinian has been identified as Adel Wasfi Rabay’a.
Several Israeli military vehicles invaded, on Thursday at dawn, the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, and kidnapped a former political prisoner.
The Tulkarem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the soldiers surrounded a residential building, before smashing the door of one of the apartments, and kidnapped a former political prisoner, identified as Ghassan Saleh Barqawi, 33, after searching and ransacking his residence.
His wife told the WAFA Palestinian News Agency that the soldiers interrogated the family while violently searching their apartment, and kidnapped him after cuffing and blindfolding him.
It is worth mentioning that Ghassan is a former political prisoner who was released from Israeli detention in 2009, after spending seven years in prison.
The Tulkarem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the soldiers surrounded a residential building, before smashing the door of one of the apartments, and kidnapped a former political prisoner, identified as Ghassan Saleh Barqawi, 33, after searching and ransacking his residence.
His wife told the WAFA Palestinian News Agency that the soldiers interrogated the family while violently searching their apartment, and kidnapped him after cuffing and blindfolding him.
It is worth mentioning that Ghassan is a former political prisoner who was released from Israeli detention in 2009, after spending seven years in prison.
Israeli soldiers invaded on, Thursday at dawn, Beit Awwa town, in the southern West Bank district of Hebron, stormed and ransacked several homes before kidnapping one Palestinian, and summoned two others for interrogation.
The Hebron office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the soldiers invaded Beit Awwa, searched and ransacked several homes, kidnapped Ahmad Abdullah al-Masalma, 22, and summoned two Palestinians for interrogation in Etzion military base.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Doura town, before breaking into the homes of resident ‘Ayed al-Faqeeh and his imprisoned son, Yousef, and violently searched the two properties before summoned four siblings for interrogation.
The four have been identified as Akram, Mohammad, Firas and Nafez Jabara al-Faqeeh; they were all order to head to Etzion military base for interrogation.
In addition, several army vehicles invaded Yatta town, south of Hebron, and conducted extensive searched of homes, causing property damage.
Owners of some of the invaded homes have been identified as Majdi Mousa Shreiqi, his brothers Ahmad, and Eid al-Jondi.
The Hebron office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the soldiers invaded Beit Awwa, searched and ransacked several homes, kidnapped Ahmad Abdullah al-Masalma, 22, and summoned two Palestinians for interrogation in Etzion military base.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Doura town, before breaking into the homes of resident ‘Ayed al-Faqeeh and his imprisoned son, Yousef, and violently searched the two properties before summoned four siblings for interrogation.
The four have been identified as Akram, Mohammad, Firas and Nafez Jabara al-Faqeeh; they were all order to head to Etzion military base for interrogation.
In addition, several army vehicles invaded Yatta town, south of Hebron, and conducted extensive searched of homes, causing property damage.
Owners of some of the invaded homes have been identified as Majdi Mousa Shreiqi, his brothers Ahmad, and Eid al-Jondi.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) carried out at dawn Thursday a large-scale raid and search campaign into different local homes in Kafer Qalil south of Nablus.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed the town and broke into several homes, most of them were belonging to ex-prisoners.
Police dogs were also used during the raid campaign which scared women and children. Tiles of some stormed houses were removed under the pretext of looking for weapons, the sources added.
13 local youths were rounded up during the raid while several others were investigated at the scene.
Israeli Soldiers Kidnap Thirteen Palestinians In Nablus
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, several communities in the Nablus district, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, violently searched dozens of homes, causing excessive damage, and kidnapped thirteen Palestinians, including security officers.
Media sources in Nablus said hundreds of soldiers invaded Kufur Qalil village, south of Nablus, approximately at three at dawn, before storming and ransacking many homes, including destroying walls, allegedly searching for weapons.
In a statement, the Israeli army said the soldiers found what it called combat equipment, including pistols and bullets.
The Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said at least three of the kidnapped Palestinians are members of security forces with the Palestinian Authority.
The massive and violent invasions and searches of homes and property led to clashes between dozens of youngsters and the soldiers. The youths hurled stones and empty bottles at the invading army vehicles, while the soldiers fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets, and gas bombs.
Medical sources said a young man was shot with a live Israeli army round, and suffered a mild-to-moderate injury.
The soldiers also broke into the home of a Palestinian police officer, identified as Ehad Joseph Mansour, and violently searched the property, causing excessive damage.
The invasion was still ongoing until the time of this report, the PPS said, and identified the kidnapped as:
Local sources told the PIC reporter that hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed the town and broke into several homes, most of them were belonging to ex-prisoners.
Police dogs were also used during the raid campaign which scared women and children. Tiles of some stormed houses were removed under the pretext of looking for weapons, the sources added.
13 local youths were rounded up during the raid while several others were investigated at the scene.
Israeli Soldiers Kidnap Thirteen Palestinians In Nablus
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, several communities in the Nablus district, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, violently searched dozens of homes, causing excessive damage, and kidnapped thirteen Palestinians, including security officers.
Media sources in Nablus said hundreds of soldiers invaded Kufur Qalil village, south of Nablus, approximately at three at dawn, before storming and ransacking many homes, including destroying walls, allegedly searching for weapons.
In a statement, the Israeli army said the soldiers found what it called combat equipment, including pistols and bullets.
The Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said at least three of the kidnapped Palestinians are members of security forces with the Palestinian Authority.
The massive and violent invasions and searches of homes and property led to clashes between dozens of youngsters and the soldiers. The youths hurled stones and empty bottles at the invading army vehicles, while the soldiers fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets, and gas bombs.
Medical sources said a young man was shot with a live Israeli army round, and suffered a mild-to-moderate injury.
The soldiers also broke into the home of a Palestinian police officer, identified as Ehad Joseph Mansour, and violently searched the property, causing excessive damage.
The invasion was still ongoing until the time of this report, the PPS said, and identified the kidnapped as:
- Tal’at Mansour, security chief of the Najah National University.
- Tamer Khaled Amer.
- Fadi Khaled Amer.
- Ahmad Waleed Amer.
- Waddah Abdul-Jalil Amer.
- Farouq Amer.
- Suleiman Yousef Mansour.
- Sa’id Jamil al-Qanni – Police Lieutenant.
- Rami Sa’ad al-Qanni – National Security Officer.
- Bilal Fathi Mansour – National Security Officer.
- Rabea’ Morjan.
- Jassem Farah Amer.
- Fahed Amer.
Israeli naval forces Wednesday morning arrested four Palestinian fishermen at Gaza sea off Beit Lahiya’s shores.
The forces confiscated the fishing boats and steered them to Ashdod Israeli port.
Nizar Ayyash, head of the Palestinian fishermen syndicate, told Quds Press that arresting the Gazan fishermen and confiscating their boats took place within the allowed fishing zone of 6 nautical miles.
The forces confiscated the fishing boats and steered them to Ashdod Israeli port.
Nizar Ayyash, head of the Palestinian fishermen syndicate, told Quds Press that arresting the Gazan fishermen and confiscating their boats took place within the allowed fishing zone of 6 nautical miles.
20 july 2016
Palestinian youth convicted of throwing stones in Jerusalem are starting to feel the effects of the changes in Israeli legislation and policy guidelines between 2014 and 2015.On June 13, an Israeli judge sentenced Omar T., Nour al-Din H., and Seif T., all three of them 16 years old, to 26 months in prison. They also received a 12-month suspended sentence for two years after their release.
According to court records retrieved by Defense for Children International - Palestine, a Jerusalem court in March sentenced Saleh E.,16, to 39 months and Murad A.,14, to 36 months in prison. In the same case, Mohammad J.,14, Mohammad T.,17, and Ziad T., 15, were sentenced to 28 months. Yazan A.,15, was sentenced to 14 months while Omar Y.,14, was sentenced to 12 months. All seven also received suspended sentences of 10 months for three years.
According to affidavits taken from two of the teenagers, Saleh E. and Murad A., both had maintained their innocence and confessed only after they had experienced physical and psychological abuse.
“A policeman … took me to a bathroom inside the police station and began beating me hard while I was still handcuffed,” said Saleh E. “He kicked me, and punched me in the face.”
The interrogator accused Saleh E. of throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. “I denied it and told him I was on the way to the mosque to pray with my friends. He began shouting at me … He told me to tell him the truth if I wanted to go home,” said Saleh E. “He then pulled my ear and claimed that my friends ratted on me and said I was throwing stones with them. I told him I threw one stone at the vehicles near the mosque. I told him each one of my friends threw one stone each at the vehicles.”
Murad A. reported a similar experience. In Murad A.’s affidavit, he said he was choked after being handcuffed during his arrest and beaten while handcuffed inside a bathroom.
“[The police officer] took me out of the bathroom, but another police officer slammed the door against my face,” said Murad A.
He too maintained his innocence until further threats. “He began shouting at me and calling me a liar, claiming my friends had already told him I threw stones with them. So, I told him I tried to pick up some stones, but they had already caught me,” Murad A. stated.
Despite the extraction of a confession in a milieu of physical and verbal violence, Salah E. and Murad A. were hit with lengthy sentences. Affidavits from the other teenagers showed the same level of abuse and disregard for due process rights.
“In the past, the average sanction for throwing stones was between two to four months of imprisonment,” said Iyad Misk, director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Palestinian Commission on Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. “The recent amendments to the Israeli criminal law have a direct impact on the level of sanction on Palestinians from East Jerusalem.”
These sentences come after a series of changes to the Israeli penal code and policy guidelines between 2014 and 2015 to increase customary punishment.
The amendments to the Israeli penal code in 2015 included stricter penalties in mandatory sentencing laws such as a maximum 10 year sentence for throwing a stone, or other object, at traffic, without intent to cause injury, and 20 years for throwing a stone, or other object, at traffic with intent to cause injury. While the 20-year maximum sentencing existed prior to 2015, the word “stone” was added to specifically target Palestinian society.
Minimum penalties for stone-throwing offenses, one-fifth of the maximum penalty, were also added to the penal code. In a controversial decision, the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, added to the scope of punishment the denial of National Insurance benefits to families whose members have been convicted of throwing stones.
According to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), proposals are also in the works to impose life sentencing for children under the age of 14.
“It is evident that the changes in legislation and policy disregard the spirit of the Israeli Youth Law, a law which was put in place to bring Israel up to the standards of the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Accountability Program director at DCIP. “The changes in the penal code and policy guidelines since 2014 are discriminatory and target Palestinians, specifically youth. Israel is a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and we call on them to uphold their responsibilities.”
According to ACRI, the Israeli Youth Law was constructed to protect minors from customary punishment and to ensure the legal principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as well as Israel’s Basic Law: human dignity and liberty. The CRC explicitly states that only as a last resort should children face incarceration.
ACRI says that as a result of the series of legislative changes and guidelines, the basic principle of the Youth Law has lost its relevance.
“This alarming trend is contrary to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and erodes the provisions and principles of the Youth Law,” said Nisreen Alyan, an attorney for ACRI.
ACRI outlines in their 2016 report, Arrested Childhood, that the minimum sentencing laws are a determining factor in the length of sentencing for Palestinian youth, despite there being a provision in the Youth Law that should shield them from minimum sentencing laws: “[T]his temporary provision sends a clear sign to judges and to the State Prosecutor’s Office that they should impose stricter sentences on minors suspected of throwing stones. This message has already permeated through into the rulings of the Jerusalem District Court.”
Provisions in the Israeli Youth Law should have steered the sentencing of the court into rehabilitation with minimal incarceration in the cases of Saleh E., Murad A., and other Palestinian children. ACRI argues in their report that section 25(b) of the Israeli Youth Law should protect minors' freedom.
However, the Israeli Supreme Court in several decisions has held that judges have discretion and are not bound by the Israeli Youth Law.
In State of Israel v. Anonymous (2015), the court argued that the recent amendments to the penal code applied to minors, and in this specific case, referenced the minimum sentencing laws as a form of deterrence.
In an earlier case, State of Israel v. Anonymous (2006), the Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed against a sentence of 25 years' imprisonment imposed on a minor. The argument of the appeal relied on Section 25(b) to the Youth Law that stipulates that there is no obligation to impose life imprisonment, mandatory imprisonment, or a minimum penalty on a minor. However, the court upheld the decision and stressed that the legislator's purpose in enacting Section 25(b) of the Youth Law was to broaden the scope of punishments that can be imposed on minors.
Even though the Israeli Youth Law is supposed to safeguard a child’s freedom, acknowledging their protected status, judges are not bound by that body of law in issuing judgments.
In addition to changes in the Israeli penal code to increase customary punishment, Palestinian youth have been impacted by changes in several policy guidelines.
On June 29, 2014, the Israeli government published Decision No. 1776, Strengthening Enforcement in Offenses of Stone Throwing, which according to ACRI, instructed the Ministry of Justice to act to legislate amendments and enact policy guidelines concerning stone throwing, specifically citing the security of East Jerusalem.
This decision was enacted prior to and not in response to the current round of violence, which is most often attributed to the time around both the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank and the kidnapping and murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammad Abu Khdeir.
In August 2015, the Israeli State Prosecutor’s Office updated the policy guidelines on stone throwing to request that defendants remain in detention until the end of proceedings. According to ACRI, after the change in policy guidelines, requests for detention until the end of the proceedings had risen from 210 requests in 2014 to 310 in 2015.
During these sweeping changes, the guidelines governing the use of live-fire were also updated. According to Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, in December of 2015 the Israeli police live-fire regulations became much more aggressive. Adalah said the new police regulations give the authority to use live-fire directly on an individual who appears to be throwing or is about to throw a firebomb, shoot off fireworks, or using a sling-shot.
"The new regulations allow officers to act in an unchecked and criminal manner,” said Adalah attorney Mohammad Bassam. “[I]t is clear that the regulations do not refer to just any stone throwers but that they were written specifically regarding Palestinian youths."
DCIP is deeply concerned that these changes to the Israeli penal code and policy guidelines will continue to target Palestinian youth. These changes are almost exclusively applied to Palestinians. Israeli extremists and settlers are rarely prosecuted under the same standards of the law.
According to court records retrieved by Defense for Children International - Palestine, a Jerusalem court in March sentenced Saleh E.,16, to 39 months and Murad A.,14, to 36 months in prison. In the same case, Mohammad J.,14, Mohammad T.,17, and Ziad T., 15, were sentenced to 28 months. Yazan A.,15, was sentenced to 14 months while Omar Y.,14, was sentenced to 12 months. All seven also received suspended sentences of 10 months for three years.
According to affidavits taken from two of the teenagers, Saleh E. and Murad A., both had maintained their innocence and confessed only after they had experienced physical and psychological abuse.
“A policeman … took me to a bathroom inside the police station and began beating me hard while I was still handcuffed,” said Saleh E. “He kicked me, and punched me in the face.”
The interrogator accused Saleh E. of throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. “I denied it and told him I was on the way to the mosque to pray with my friends. He began shouting at me … He told me to tell him the truth if I wanted to go home,” said Saleh E. “He then pulled my ear and claimed that my friends ratted on me and said I was throwing stones with them. I told him I threw one stone at the vehicles near the mosque. I told him each one of my friends threw one stone each at the vehicles.”
Murad A. reported a similar experience. In Murad A.’s affidavit, he said he was choked after being handcuffed during his arrest and beaten while handcuffed inside a bathroom.
“[The police officer] took me out of the bathroom, but another police officer slammed the door against my face,” said Murad A.
He too maintained his innocence until further threats. “He began shouting at me and calling me a liar, claiming my friends had already told him I threw stones with them. So, I told him I tried to pick up some stones, but they had already caught me,” Murad A. stated.
Despite the extraction of a confession in a milieu of physical and verbal violence, Salah E. and Murad A. were hit with lengthy sentences. Affidavits from the other teenagers showed the same level of abuse and disregard for due process rights.
“In the past, the average sanction for throwing stones was between two to four months of imprisonment,” said Iyad Misk, director of the Legal Affairs Department at the Palestinian Commission on Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. “The recent amendments to the Israeli criminal law have a direct impact on the level of sanction on Palestinians from East Jerusalem.”
These sentences come after a series of changes to the Israeli penal code and policy guidelines between 2014 and 2015 to increase customary punishment.
The amendments to the Israeli penal code in 2015 included stricter penalties in mandatory sentencing laws such as a maximum 10 year sentence for throwing a stone, or other object, at traffic, without intent to cause injury, and 20 years for throwing a stone, or other object, at traffic with intent to cause injury. While the 20-year maximum sentencing existed prior to 2015, the word “stone” was added to specifically target Palestinian society.
Minimum penalties for stone-throwing offenses, one-fifth of the maximum penalty, were also added to the penal code. In a controversial decision, the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, added to the scope of punishment the denial of National Insurance benefits to families whose members have been convicted of throwing stones.
According to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), proposals are also in the works to impose life sentencing for children under the age of 14.
“It is evident that the changes in legislation and policy disregard the spirit of the Israeli Youth Law, a law which was put in place to bring Israel up to the standards of the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Accountability Program director at DCIP. “The changes in the penal code and policy guidelines since 2014 are discriminatory and target Palestinians, specifically youth. Israel is a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and we call on them to uphold their responsibilities.”
According to ACRI, the Israeli Youth Law was constructed to protect minors from customary punishment and to ensure the legal principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as well as Israel’s Basic Law: human dignity and liberty. The CRC explicitly states that only as a last resort should children face incarceration.
ACRI says that as a result of the series of legislative changes and guidelines, the basic principle of the Youth Law has lost its relevance.
“This alarming trend is contrary to the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and erodes the provisions and principles of the Youth Law,” said Nisreen Alyan, an attorney for ACRI.
ACRI outlines in their 2016 report, Arrested Childhood, that the minimum sentencing laws are a determining factor in the length of sentencing for Palestinian youth, despite there being a provision in the Youth Law that should shield them from minimum sentencing laws: “[T]his temporary provision sends a clear sign to judges and to the State Prosecutor’s Office that they should impose stricter sentences on minors suspected of throwing stones. This message has already permeated through into the rulings of the Jerusalem District Court.”
Provisions in the Israeli Youth Law should have steered the sentencing of the court into rehabilitation with minimal incarceration in the cases of Saleh E., Murad A., and other Palestinian children. ACRI argues in their report that section 25(b) of the Israeli Youth Law should protect minors' freedom.
However, the Israeli Supreme Court in several decisions has held that judges have discretion and are not bound by the Israeli Youth Law.
In State of Israel v. Anonymous (2015), the court argued that the recent amendments to the penal code applied to minors, and in this specific case, referenced the minimum sentencing laws as a form of deterrence.
In an earlier case, State of Israel v. Anonymous (2006), the Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed against a sentence of 25 years' imprisonment imposed on a minor. The argument of the appeal relied on Section 25(b) to the Youth Law that stipulates that there is no obligation to impose life imprisonment, mandatory imprisonment, or a minimum penalty on a minor. However, the court upheld the decision and stressed that the legislator's purpose in enacting Section 25(b) of the Youth Law was to broaden the scope of punishments that can be imposed on minors.
Even though the Israeli Youth Law is supposed to safeguard a child’s freedom, acknowledging their protected status, judges are not bound by that body of law in issuing judgments.
In addition to changes in the Israeli penal code to increase customary punishment, Palestinian youth have been impacted by changes in several policy guidelines.
On June 29, 2014, the Israeli government published Decision No. 1776, Strengthening Enforcement in Offenses of Stone Throwing, which according to ACRI, instructed the Ministry of Justice to act to legislate amendments and enact policy guidelines concerning stone throwing, specifically citing the security of East Jerusalem.
This decision was enacted prior to and not in response to the current round of violence, which is most often attributed to the time around both the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank and the kidnapping and murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammad Abu Khdeir.
In August 2015, the Israeli State Prosecutor’s Office updated the policy guidelines on stone throwing to request that defendants remain in detention until the end of proceedings. According to ACRI, after the change in policy guidelines, requests for detention until the end of the proceedings had risen from 210 requests in 2014 to 310 in 2015.
During these sweeping changes, the guidelines governing the use of live-fire were also updated. According to Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, in December of 2015 the Israeli police live-fire regulations became much more aggressive. Adalah said the new police regulations give the authority to use live-fire directly on an individual who appears to be throwing or is about to throw a firebomb, shoot off fireworks, or using a sling-shot.
"The new regulations allow officers to act in an unchecked and criminal manner,” said Adalah attorney Mohammad Bassam. “[I]t is clear that the regulations do not refer to just any stone throwers but that they were written specifically regarding Palestinian youths."
DCIP is deeply concerned that these changes to the Israeli penal code and policy guidelines will continue to target Palestinian youth. These changes are almost exclusively applied to Palestinians. Israeli extremists and settlers are rarely prosecuted under the same standards of the law.
The Israeli Central Court sentenced the Jerusalemite child Adham Zaatari, 14, to eight months imprisonment for allegedly being involved in a stone-throwing attack.
Family sources affirmed to Quds Press that Adham was sentenced to eight months after accusing him of throwing stones at Israeli targets.
Adham is currently held in Megiddo prison after being earlier transferred from an Israeli correctional institution, the sources pointed out.
Adham’s father said that the Israeli court also accused his son of allegedly infiltrating into a settler’s house and attacking his family with pepper gas. A court hearing has been set for September 27 to decide over the new charge, the father clarified.
Adham was arrested for four times, most recently was in November 2015 during clashes that erupted in al-Ram town north of occupied Jerusalem.
There are currently 7,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails including 70 women and more than 400 children held amid very difficult detention conditions.
Family sources affirmed to Quds Press that Adham was sentenced to eight months after accusing him of throwing stones at Israeli targets.
Adham is currently held in Megiddo prison after being earlier transferred from an Israeli correctional institution, the sources pointed out.
Adham’s father said that the Israeli court also accused his son of allegedly infiltrating into a settler’s house and attacking his family with pepper gas. A court hearing has been set for September 27 to decide over the new charge, the father clarified.
Adham was arrested for four times, most recently was in November 2015 during clashes that erupted in al-Ram town north of occupied Jerusalem.
There are currently 7,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails including 70 women and more than 400 children held amid very difficult detention conditions.
In protest against the Red Cross decision to cut down family prison visits, Palestinian prisoners in Megiddo prison refused to receive the organization's delegates during their visit.
The Palestinian committee for prisoners’ affairs said that the decision to cut down family prison visits has deepened the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.
The committee held the Red Cross responsible for such a decision that “supports the jailer and punishes the victim.”
The committee also called on international institutions to exert more pressures on the Red Cross to cancel its decision.
The Palestinian committee for prisoners’ affairs said that the decision to cut down family prison visits has deepened the suffering of Palestinian prisoners.
The committee held the Red Cross responsible for such a decision that “supports the jailer and punishes the victim.”
The committee also called on international institutions to exert more pressures on the Red Cross to cancel its decision.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers kidnapped, at dawn Wednesday, at least sisteen Palestinians, including former political prisoners, in different parts of the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The PPS said the soldiers invaded the town of Silwad, east of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, searched homes and kidnapped three Palestinians, including two former political prisoners.
The kidnapped Palestinians have been identified as Abdul-Rahman Mustafa Hamed, Abdul-Rahim Bassam Hammad, and Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz Hamed.
Also in Ramallah, the soldiers searched homes in Deir Abu Mashal village, after invading it, and kidnapped Omar Ahmad al-Makin.
In Tulkarem, in the northern part of the West Bank, the soldiers kidnapped a former political prisoner, identified as Moayyad al-Jallad, who previously spent nineteen years in Israeli prisons, and Laith al-Ashqar, from Saida town.
The Nablus office of the PPS said the soldiers also invaded several homes in the district, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Ahmad Raed ‘Ameera.
In occupied Jerusalem, the soldiers invaded the al-‘Eesawiyya town, east of the city, searched homes and kidnapped three Palestinians, identified as Abdullah Mustafa Hamed, Mohammad Amer Mustafa and Mohammad Nasser Mahmoud.
Also at dawn, several Israeli military jeeps invaded the town of Teqoua’, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, kidnapped three young Palestinian men and summoned another for interrogation.
The kidnapped men have been identified as Shadi Nayef al-‘Amour, Saber Rebhi al-‘Amour, and Jom’a Khaled Abu Mfarreh.
In Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, the soldiers kidnapped Mohammad Ahmad al-Qazzaz, in addition to a child, identified as Yousef Maher Masalma, 14, from Beit Awwa town, and Khaled Nasser al-Faqeeh from Doura town, south of Hebron.
The PPS said the soldiers invaded the town of Silwad, east of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, searched homes and kidnapped three Palestinians, including two former political prisoners.
The kidnapped Palestinians have been identified as Abdul-Rahman Mustafa Hamed, Abdul-Rahim Bassam Hammad, and Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz Hamed.
Also in Ramallah, the soldiers searched homes in Deir Abu Mashal village, after invading it, and kidnapped Omar Ahmad al-Makin.
In Tulkarem, in the northern part of the West Bank, the soldiers kidnapped a former political prisoner, identified as Moayyad al-Jallad, who previously spent nineteen years in Israeli prisons, and Laith al-Ashqar, from Saida town.
The Nablus office of the PPS said the soldiers also invaded several homes in the district, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Ahmad Raed ‘Ameera.
In occupied Jerusalem, the soldiers invaded the al-‘Eesawiyya town, east of the city, searched homes and kidnapped three Palestinians, identified as Abdullah Mustafa Hamed, Mohammad Amer Mustafa and Mohammad Nasser Mahmoud.
Also at dawn, several Israeli military jeeps invaded the town of Teqoua’, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, kidnapped three young Palestinian men and summoned another for interrogation.
The kidnapped men have been identified as Shadi Nayef al-‘Amour, Saber Rebhi al-‘Amour, and Jom’a Khaled Abu Mfarreh.
In Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, the soldiers kidnapped Mohammad Ahmad al-Qazzaz, in addition to a child, identified as Yousef Maher Masalma, 14, from Beit Awwa town, and Khaled Nasser al-Faqeeh from Doura town, south of Hebron.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Wednesday at dawn, the town of Silwad, east of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, searched homes and kidnapped three Palestinians, including two former political prisoners.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers kidnapped Abdul-Rahman Mustafa Hamed, 34, who previously spent six years in Israeli prisons, Abdul-Rahim Bassam Hamma, 19, who just less than a month ago was released after spending three months under Administrative Detention, and Ibrahim Mohammad Hamed, 32.
The soldiers violently searched the homes of the kidnapped Palestinians and interrogating them for several hours prior to abducting them.
It is worth mentioning that Abdul-Rahim is the brother of Anas Hammad, who was killed by the Israeli army on December 4th 2015.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers kidnapped Abdul-Rahman Mustafa Hamed, 34, who previously spent six years in Israeli prisons, Abdul-Rahim Bassam Hamma, 19, who just less than a month ago was released after spending three months under Administrative Detention, and Ibrahim Mohammad Hamed, 32.
The soldiers violently searched the homes of the kidnapped Palestinians and interrogating them for several hours prior to abducting them.
It is worth mentioning that Abdul-Rahim is the brother of Anas Hammad, who was killed by the Israeli army on December 4th 2015.
Several Israeli military jeeps invaded, on Wednesday at dawn, the town of Teqoua’, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, kidnapped three young Palestinian men and summoned another for interrogation.
Local sources in Teqoua’ said the soldiers searched several homes in the town, after breaking into them, and kidnapped Shadi Nayef al-‘Amour, 20, Saber Rebhi al-‘Amour, 23, and Jom’a Khaled Abu Mfarreh, 24.
The soldiers also summoned another Palestinian, identified as Akram Khalaf Jibreel, 36, in the Etzion military base and security center, south of Bethlehem.
Local sources in Teqoua’ said the soldiers searched several homes in the town, after breaking into them, and kidnapped Shadi Nayef al-‘Amour, 20, Saber Rebhi al-‘Amour, 23, and Jom’a Khaled Abu Mfarreh, 24.
The soldiers also summoned another Palestinian, identified as Akram Khalaf Jibreel, 36, in the Etzion military base and security center, south of Bethlehem.
