Muhannad al-Halabi’s mother arrested by Israeli occupation forces, detained for “Facebook incitement”

14 October 2016

UPDATE: Suheir al-Halabi was released on the evening of 14 October.

Israeli occupation forces seized Suheir al-Halabi, the mother of Muhannad al-Halabi, shot dead last year by Israeli occupation forces, on Thursday, 13 October, accusing her of incitement for posting on Facebook. She was detained one day after she had been summoned to interrogation with Israeli intelligence.

Al-Halabi, 42, is one of hundreds of Palestinians who have been detained, interrogated and imprisoned by the Israeli occupation for posting on social media, including astrophysics professor Imad Barghouthi and poet Dareen Tatour, who marked 1 year of persecution for posting her poetry on YouTube and Facebook on 11 October.

Her son, Muhannad, 19 and a law student at Al-Quds University, participated in a Palestinian armed resistance action against Israeli occupation in October 2015 and was shot dead by Israeli police. Muhannad’s action is widely seen by Palestinians as sparking the popular uprising, often referred to as the “Jerusalem Intifada.”

The Halabis’ home was demolished by Israeli occupation forces in January 2016, in an act of illegal collective punishment against the entire family.

Israeli occupation courts also extended the detention of Ghadeer Jamjoum, 35, captured by occupation forces earlier in the week during their invasion of al-Ram town, and Iman Abu Sbeih, 17, the daughter of Misbah Abu Sbeih, shot by Israeli forces after an operation on Sunday, 9 October; Abu Sbeih is accused of incitement for her positive comments about her father in a television interview.

There are over 60 Palestinian women held in Israeli prisons, including 13 girls under the age of 18. The longest-held woman prisoner is Lena Jarbouni, imprisoned since 2001 and the elected representative of the Palestinian women in HaSharon prison.

Halahleh freed after 26 months in administrative detention, urges support for four hunger strikers

14 October 2016

Four Palestinian prisoners are continuing their hunger strike against administrative detention: Anas Shahid and Ahmad Abu Fara have refused food for 20 days and Majd Abu Shamla and Hasan Rubayah have been on strike for ten days, all demanding their release from Israeli imprisonment without charge or trial.

Abu Shamla and Rubayah are being held in isolation in the Negev desert prison; Rubayah is also held there. Abu Shamla has been imprisoned, held without charge or trial since 27 January. Rubayah was has been detained by the Israeli occupation since 31 March. Meanwhile, Shadid and Abu Fara were transferred to isolation in the Nitzan prison, which is usually reserved for Israeli criminal prisoners and is near the Ramle area, on 10 October.

The health of all four hunger strikers is deteriorating and they are experiencing fatigue, weakness and other symptoms of their consumption of only water and salt.

They are among nearly 750 Palestinians held without charge or trial under administrative detention. On Thursday, 13 October, Thaer Halahleh, former long-term hunger striker, was released from administrative detention without charge or trial after 26 months of imprisonment; his most recent confinement came after further years of imprisonment without charge. He has spent over 11 years in Israeli prison, most under administrative detention. During his previous period of administrative detention, Halahleh engaged in several hunger strikes and won his release through a strike.

Upon his release, Halahleh spoke with Asra Voice, and emphasized the importance of supporting the hunger strikes, saying that the strikers “continue to battle against the policy of administrative detention, and to struggle for victory and defeat the occupation.” He noted that the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is deteriorating due to constant raids and inspections by the prison administration. Halahleh said that the prisoners were sending several messages about their cause: calling upon the Palestinian resistance to work to liberate them, and upon Palestinian leaders and local and international human rights organizations to stand by the prisoners and work to achieve their liberation.

As Halahleh was released, several more Palestinian prisoners saw their administrative detention extended, including Palestinian Legislative Council member Hassan Yousef, whose administrative detention was renewed for three months; this is the third time his detention has been renewed in his most recent imprisonment. Israeli occupation authorities also issued a two-month renewal of administrative detention against 63-year-old Omar Barghouthi, from Kobar near Ramallah. He has been imprisoned without charge or trial since 19 November 2015 after spending 28 years in Israeli prison throughout his life, including 13 years in administrative detention.

Another Palestinian held in administrative detention, Ayman Khalil Hassan Ali, 40, from Janata in the Bethlehem area, is facing deteriorating health after falling unconscious two days ago and waiting hours for a transfer to a medical clinic. Ali, who has been imprisoned without charge or trial since 15 February 2016, suffers from diabetes and has complained – alongside nearly 1,800 sick prisoners – of medical neglect, including, in various cases, failure to provide necessary medical examinations, insufficient treatment, denied tests, rodent and insect infestation and the failure to provide medical treatment rather than painkillers.

17 October, Grenay: Display of Banner for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah

14 October 2016

Monday, 17 October
6:00 pm
Mairie de Grenay
Grenay, France

The mayor, Christian Champire, and the members of the Liberez-les 59/62 Collective, invite you to attend in support of the struggle for liberation for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, honorary citizen of the town of Grenay, who will enter his 33rd year in detention on 24 October.

22 October, Lyon: Protest for the immediate release of Georges Abdallah

14 October 2016

Saturday, 22 October
3:00 pm
Palais de Justice
Quai du Rhône : quai Romain Rolland
Lyon, France
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1727103994281059/

Georges Ibrahim Abdallah is a militant Lebanese progressive who always fought the occupation of their country by foreign forces, particularly Israeli occupation. He has always been committed to the Palestinian cause. He was arrested in Lyon on 24 October 1984 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for involvement in the killing of two diplomats in Paris in 1982, the American Charles Ray and Israeli Yacov Barsimentov. Yves Bonnet, the director of French intelligence at the time, has totally exonerated Georges Abdallah and called for his release in 2012. Today, he is entering his 33rd year in Lannemezan prison. He has been eligible for parole since 1999. On several occasions he was approved for release but was denied release to Lebanon by the interference of the French state at the highest levels. Join this protest, part of the International Week of Action, to demand his immediate and unconditional release.

Organied by the Lyon Collective to Support Georges Ibrahim Abdallah

15 October, Marseille: Concert for Georges Abdallah

14 October 2016

Saturday, 15 October
8:00 pm
Dar Lamifa
127 rue d’Aubagne
13006 Marseille
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1087350464651416/

Concert in support of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, with exhibitions by artists of Marseille. Funds raised for travel to Lannemezan for the protest on 22 October.

Palestinian prisoners continue to be denied family visits

12 October 2016

The elderly mother of Kamil Abu Hanish was denied a permit to visit her imprisoned son by the Israeli occupation on grounds of “security,” despite her age and the lack of any evidence whatsoever against her.

Abu Hanish is serving a life sentence in Israeli occupation prisons on charges of resisting the occupation as part of the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The rejection of Abu Hanish’s mother comes only days after university student Ansam Shawahneh was denied visitation with her father on similar pretexts, while a whole group of 14 families of prisoners were denied visits with their family members on 10 October.

At an occupation military checkpoint near Tulkarem, 14 families were removed from a visit bus to the Negev desert prison, despite having received permits for their visits in advance through the International Committee of the Red Cross. They were ordered to return to their homes, their permits physically confiscated and told that “security” reasons were blocking their family visits.

Approval for a visit permit can take months and requires a lengthy wait on occupation security agencies. Among the families denied visitation were the mother and brother of Hashim Taha of al-Khalil, who is currently wounded. The mother and sister of Salim Mohammed Hajja were also denied visitation; Hajja has been imprisoned since 2002.

Asra Media reported that this incident is far from isolated; multiple prisoners’ families have experienced the confiscation and destruction of long-awaited visit permits at checkpoints and prison entrances, as well as lengthy and humiliating inspections and searches and rejection of goods for the prisoners, including clothing anf books.

Seif al-Idrissi, former prisoners, among Palestinians seized by occupation forces

11 October 2016

Among at least 18 Palestinians seized late Sunday night and early Monday morning by Israeli occupation forces was Seif al-Idrissi, Palestinian youth activist in Tulkarem. Al-Idrissi was one of the six Palestinian youth detained by the Palestinian Authority for nearly six months without charge, until they embarked on a hunger strike that led to their release.

It was a Facebook protest against the arrest of al-Idrissi that led to the PA arrest of Bir Zeit student organizer Kifah Quzmar; Quzmar was released following widespread Palestinian and international protest.

Al-Idrissi is the second of the six youth to be arrested by Israeli occupation forces after their release from PA prison; Mohammed Harb of Jenin was arrested and was ordered last week to six months in administrative detention without charge or trial.

Also detained by Israeli occupation forces is prisoner support activist Thamer Sabaaneh, from his home in Qabatiya south of Jenin. Sabaaneh is heavily involved in support activities for Palestinian political prisoners and is a former prisoner who has been arrested by the occupation on multiple occasions.

In addition, Israeli occupation forces in Jenin raided the family home and arrsted Abdel-Salam Jamal Abu al-Hija, former prisoner and son of Hamas leader Jamal Abu al-Hija. Yahya Bassam Saadi, the son of Islamic Jihad leader Bassam al-Saadi, was also arrested in a violent pre-dawn raid on his home. Yahya was released only four months ago from one and one-half years in Israeli occupation prisons.

Also arrested in Jenin were Ahmad Salem Salatma and Mohammed Mutassem al-Sabbagh; while Mohammed Izzat Jaber was detained in Tulkarem and Yasser Mohammed Shteiwi in Qalqilya. Earlier on Sunday evening, occupation forces seized brothers Alaa Mohammed Abu Maria and Uday Abu Maria in Beit Ummar near al-Khalil. The two were beaten brutally by occupation soldiers while being transferred in a military vehicle to Etzion prison, reported Palestinian lawyer Jacqueline Fararjah. A group of undercover occupation forces disguised as Palestinians seized six children and two young men at the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem on Monday evening, 10 October. The two youth arrested were Mohammed Wahid Qaraqe, 18 and Abdelfattah Abu Sha’ira, 18.

Today, the occupation military court in Ofer extended the detention of five of the children while releasing one on a high bail.

Palestinian lawyer Ahmed Safia of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society said that the detention of Izzedine Muaffaq Badwan, 16; Amer Ismail Alayan, 14; and Adam Mohammed Darwish, 16. was extended until 13 October, and Yousef Mohammed Jawarish, 15, and Mohammed Nasser Darwish, 16, until 14 October. Dawud Raed Shatara, 13, was released on a bail of NIS 7,500 (USD $1700).

Nasser Qous, the Jerusalem director of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, was released from Israeli occupation captivity on Tuesday, 11 October; he had been detained since Sunday afternoon. However, he was banned from the Al-Aqsa Mosque for 45 days and ordered to pay 500 NIS bail ($131 USD). Qous, 45, has been detained dozens of times by Israeli occupation forces for his public activity and activism.

He was among 56 Palestinians captured by occupation forces – 39 of them in Jerusalem – on Sunday night and Monday morning.

13 Palestinian minor girls imprisoned by Israeli occupation

11 October 2016

Following Israeli occupation forces’ arrest of Iman Abu Sbeih, 17, on 10 October, there are currently 13 minor girls imprisoned in Israeli jails among a total of 60 Palestinian women political prisoners.

Iman was arrested in a series of raids and attacks by occupation forces on her family home, including the arrest of her brothers and uncle, amid arrests of over 39 people in Jerusalem. Her father, Mesbah Abu Sbeih, was slain by occupation forces on Sunday, 9 October after shooting two Israelis, including a member of the occupation police in Jerusalem, rather than turning himself in for four months’ imprisonment in Israeli jails. Abu Sbeih had been repeatedly arrested and detained as well as prohibited from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque. Iman’s detention was extended until Thursday, 13 October by an occupation court. She is being accused of “incitement” for giving an interview about her pride in her father.

The 13 Palestinian minor girls in Israeli prison are:

Manar Shweiki of Jerusalem, imprisoned since 7 December 2015
Lama Bakri of Jerusalem, detained since 13 December 2015
Nouran Awad of Jerusalem, detained since 23 November 2015
Marah Bakir of Jerusalem, detained since 12 October 2015
Malak Salman of Jerusalem, detained since 9 February 2016
Iman Abu Sbeih of Jerusalem, detained since 10 October 2016
Natalie Shokha of Ramallah, detained since 29 April 2016
Tasnim Khayat of Ramallah, detained since 29 April 2016
Istabraq Noor of Nablus, detained since 19 October 2015
Sajida Hasan of Nablus, detained since 21 February 2016
Amal Kabha of Jenin, detained since 14 August 2016
Heba Areinat of Jericho, detained since 3 March 2016
Jamila Jaber of Salfit, detained since 7 May 2016

The minor girls are imprisoned in HaSharon prison, as noted in the letter from Natalie Shokha to her family. Recently released prisoner Dunia Waked noted that the girls are often separated from the adult women prisoners, preventing them from caring for them when they are upset or need support. Women prisoners are held in HaSharon and Damon prison; the elected representative of the women prisoners in HaSharon prison is Lena Jarbouni, the longest-serving woman prisoner in Israeli jails.

The Ofer military court continued the military trial of Amira Ahmed Hmeidat, 45, of Surif near al-Khalil, until 21 October, for the seventh time. She has been imprisoned since 18 November 2015 and has been denied family visits with her son and husband because both are former prisoners. Her son Mahmoud, 26, was released 2 months ago after 4 months in Ofer prison. He is in his final year at Palestine Polytechnic University; his graduation was delayed by multiple years by arrests and imprisonment.

Also denied family visits was Ansam Shawahneh, 19, a university student at An-Najah University, arrested by Israeli occupation forces on 9 March 2016 and accused of possessing a knife with the intention of stabbing a settler. Shawahneh’s mother was allowed to visit her, but her father, Abdel Nasser Shawahneh, was returned from a military checkpoint after being detained for six hours. Shawahneh had been denied any family visits since her arrest seven months ago; she will come before the military court again on 8 November.

Over 10,000 Palestinian women have been detained since 1967 and many more since 1948.

Four Palestinian prisoners continue hunger strike against administrative detention as two reach agreement

11 October 2016

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Four Palestinian prisoners are continuing a hunger strike against administrative detention after two prisoners ended their strike on 10 October in an agreement with the prison administration.

Jawad Jawarish and Maher Abayat ended their hunger strikes in protest of arbitrary transfer and isolation inside occpation prisons. They had refused food since 25 September 2016. Jawarish, 40, was transferred Monday from solitary confinement in Ashkelon prison to the Nafha prison; he was one of 120 Fateh prisoners recently transferred from Eshel to Nafha. Jawarish was then moved to the Ramon prison; during his strike, he was moved to Ramle and Ashkelon prison before returning to Nafha. He is serving a life sentence for participating in the Palestinian resistance during the second intifada. Abayat, 38, is serving a 25-year sentence for participation in the Palestinian resistance during the second intifada. He was held in solitary confinement in Ela prison; following his strike, he will be returned to general population in Ramon prison.

Anas Ibrahim Shadid, 19, from the village of Dura near al-Khalil is being held in Ofer prison. He is on his 17th day of hunger strike in protest of his administrative detention without charge or trial. He was arrested on 1 August 2016.

Ahmed Abu Fara, 29, from al-Khalil, is held in administrative detention without charge or trial since August 2016; he is also held in Ofer prison and on his 17th day of hunger strike. He was previously detained and spent two years in Israeli prison on charges of membership in Islamic Jihad. He married on 25 October 2015; after the occupation raid on his home in the middle of the night, his newly pregnant wife suffered a miscarriage.

Majd Hasan Abu Shamla, 24, from Yabad village in Jenin, is on his seventh day of hunger strike against administrative detention without charge or trial. He has been held under administrative detention since 27 January; after 51 days in the Jalameh interrogation center, he was ordered to six months imprisonment without charge or trial. His detention order was then renewed for an additional six months. A long time supporter of Fateh, he is held in the Negev desert prison, and is married with a one year old child.

Hasan Ali Rubayah, 31, from Maysaloon village in Jenin, is also on his seventh day of hunger strike against his imprisonment without charge or trial under administrative detention; he has been detained since 30 March. He was imprisoned in 2000 on charges of membership in Fateh and works in the Palestinian Authority security services. He is married with three children.

Abu Shamla’s father spoke with Asra Voice radio to say that his son and Rubayah were being subjected to pressure by the prison administration to end their strike, including threats to isolate them.

There are over 700 Palestinian prisoners held without charge or trial under administrative detention. Administrative detention orders – issued on the basis of so-called “secret evidence” – are issued for one to six months at a time and are indefinitely renewable. Some detainees have spent years at a time in detention without charge or trial. They are approximately one-tenth of the over 7,000 total Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails.

28 October, Paris: Evening for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah

10 October 2016

Friday, 28 October
7:00 pm
61
3 rue de l’Oise
75019 Paris
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1149017541857939/

BBoyKonsian and Angles Morts present their new monthly evening event, “VendrediEZ” at 61 in Paris on the last Friday of every month.

For this eighth edition of VendrediEZ on 28 October, the program is:

7 pm: Discussion with the comrades of support from Bagnolet about the struggle of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah and the political prisoners

9 pm: BBoyKonsian Sound System (Soul – Rap – Reggae)
Métro : Ourcq ou Crimée

Artwork : H* (BBoyKonsian)

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