18 oct 2017
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Arab and European lawmakers reacted furiously to an Israeli parliament representative’s comments at an international conference on Wednesday.
The Knesset delegation to the annual conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) walked out following this afternoon's plenum meeting, during which a series of anti-Israel proposals were approved. Among the proposals approved were calls for the release of Palestinian MPs and rebuke of Israel for holding lawmakers in administrative detention. |
Members of the delegation to the conference, MKs Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), Sharren Haskel (Likud), Yossi Yona (Zionist Union), Haim Yellin (Yesh Atid) and Knesset registrar Yardena Meller-Horowitz left the hall.
The head of the delegation, Shai, claimed at the conference that Israel is committed to promoting peace with all its neighbors, including the Palestinians, but that this will not come at the expense of an uncompromising struggle against terror.
After the meeting, the Israeli delegation sent a note of protest to outgoing President Saber Chowdhury of Bangladesh, saying that he had today seriously damaged the neutral status of the organization by permitting Arab states to constantly lambast and interrupt Israeli spokesmen, and that he himself had not allotted the Knesset delegation time equal to that of the other delegations.
Commenting on the Israeli note, Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanem told lawmakers gathered at Inter-Parliamentary Union talks in Russia: “The saying ‘if you have no shame do as you please’ applies to the comments made by this rapist (Israeli) parliament,”. The video of Al Ghanem’s outburst has gone viral online.
During the discussion about the condition of Palestinian lawmakers arrested by Israeli authorities, al-Ghanem said that this “represented the most dangerous types of terrorism – the terrorism of the state”.
“You should grab your bags and leave this hall as you have witnessed the reaction of every honorable parliament around the world,” he said, addressing the Israeli delegation.
“Leave now if you have one ounce of dignity, you occupier, you murderer of children.” The Israeli delegation left the talks following the remarks by al-Ghanem and several other parliaments in the midst of applause.
Palestinian delegate Kais Abdul Karim said Israel’s self-proclaimed democracy cannot be built on the ruins of international law and people’s rights.
Jordanian MP Wafa Bani Mustafa said the Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are not terrorists. “Terrorism is perpetrated by Israel all day and night in Palestine.”
The Pakistani envoy also said a country, like Israel, which butchers women and children is the real terrorist.
Israeli MK called 'child murderer' by Kuwaiti parliamentarian
During Inter-Parliamentary Union's 137th meeting, Kuwaiti parliament speaker verbally attacks Israeli delegation, calling them representatives of 'occupying and oppressing parliament.'
Kuwaiti parliament speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim on Wednesday publicly rebuked the Israeli parliamentary delegation at the 137th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday.
"The representative of this occupying and oppressing parliament is the most dangerous type of terrorist. This is state terrorism. This is what this oppressor represents," said the Kuwaiti representative.
Later, al-Ghanim hurled insults at MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), the head of the Knesset, and demanded him to leave to the sound of applause.
"You have to take your suitcases and leave the hall after seeing the reactions of all the respected parliaments from around the world!" he shouted. "Get out of the hall now, if you have a shred of respect, you conqueror, you child murderer!"
The chairman of the organization did not allow MK Sharren Heschel (Likud) to respond, and turned off her microphone. As a result, the delegation, which also included Prof. Yossi Yona (Zionist Union) and Haim Jelin (Yesh Atid), decided to leave the hall.
"To fight for the truth and against the liars, we have to remain in the plenum, not to leave, and to fight for our right to speak. But as soon as delegation member Heschel could not voice the Israeli side of the discussion due to the plenum chairman's decision, I decided, out of friendship, to leave and support her," MK Jelin later said.
Jelin added that "the decisions in the plenum were tainted by blatant anti-Israeli bias. It's a shame that international hypocrisy is reaching a place that is supposed to mark a fruitful dialogue between (all countries from around—ed) the world."
The IPU is an international umbrella organization for parliaments. Its members include 166 parliaments and 10 inter-parliamentary associations. It serves as a forum for meetings and dialogue between members of parliaments in order to promote the goals of peace and cooperation between the nations and the promotion of representative democracy.
Israel holds a member status, and the Knesset makes sure to participate regularly in the Association's conferences.
The verbal altercation took place ten days after Labor MK and former party head Amir Peretz, who was visiting Morocco as part of a conference held by the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean and the World Trade Organization, was faced aggressive protesting from parliamentarian Achsan Abed el-Halak, who yelled at him, "You're a war criminal! You were the Israeli defense minister and you're not welcome here."
The head of the delegation, Shai, claimed at the conference that Israel is committed to promoting peace with all its neighbors, including the Palestinians, but that this will not come at the expense of an uncompromising struggle against terror.
After the meeting, the Israeli delegation sent a note of protest to outgoing President Saber Chowdhury of Bangladesh, saying that he had today seriously damaged the neutral status of the organization by permitting Arab states to constantly lambast and interrupt Israeli spokesmen, and that he himself had not allotted the Knesset delegation time equal to that of the other delegations.
Commenting on the Israeli note, Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanem told lawmakers gathered at Inter-Parliamentary Union talks in Russia: “The saying ‘if you have no shame do as you please’ applies to the comments made by this rapist (Israeli) parliament,”. The video of Al Ghanem’s outburst has gone viral online.
During the discussion about the condition of Palestinian lawmakers arrested by Israeli authorities, al-Ghanem said that this “represented the most dangerous types of terrorism – the terrorism of the state”.
“You should grab your bags and leave this hall as you have witnessed the reaction of every honorable parliament around the world,” he said, addressing the Israeli delegation.
“Leave now if you have one ounce of dignity, you occupier, you murderer of children.” The Israeli delegation left the talks following the remarks by al-Ghanem and several other parliaments in the midst of applause.
Palestinian delegate Kais Abdul Karim said Israel’s self-proclaimed democracy cannot be built on the ruins of international law and people’s rights.
Jordanian MP Wafa Bani Mustafa said the Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are not terrorists. “Terrorism is perpetrated by Israel all day and night in Palestine.”
The Pakistani envoy also said a country, like Israel, which butchers women and children is the real terrorist.
Israeli MK called 'child murderer' by Kuwaiti parliamentarian
During Inter-Parliamentary Union's 137th meeting, Kuwaiti parliament speaker verbally attacks Israeli delegation, calling them representatives of 'occupying and oppressing parliament.'
Kuwaiti parliament speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim on Wednesday publicly rebuked the Israeli parliamentary delegation at the 137th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday.
"The representative of this occupying and oppressing parliament is the most dangerous type of terrorist. This is state terrorism. This is what this oppressor represents," said the Kuwaiti representative.
Later, al-Ghanim hurled insults at MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), the head of the Knesset, and demanded him to leave to the sound of applause.
"You have to take your suitcases and leave the hall after seeing the reactions of all the respected parliaments from around the world!" he shouted. "Get out of the hall now, if you have a shred of respect, you conqueror, you child murderer!"
The chairman of the organization did not allow MK Sharren Heschel (Likud) to respond, and turned off her microphone. As a result, the delegation, which also included Prof. Yossi Yona (Zionist Union) and Haim Jelin (Yesh Atid), decided to leave the hall.
"To fight for the truth and against the liars, we have to remain in the plenum, not to leave, and to fight for our right to speak. But as soon as delegation member Heschel could not voice the Israeli side of the discussion due to the plenum chairman's decision, I decided, out of friendship, to leave and support her," MK Jelin later said.
Jelin added that "the decisions in the plenum were tainted by blatant anti-Israeli bias. It's a shame that international hypocrisy is reaching a place that is supposed to mark a fruitful dialogue between (all countries from around—ed) the world."
The IPU is an international umbrella organization for parliaments. Its members include 166 parliaments and 10 inter-parliamentary associations. It serves as a forum for meetings and dialogue between members of parliaments in order to promote the goals of peace and cooperation between the nations and the promotion of representative democracy.
Israel holds a member status, and the Knesset makes sure to participate regularly in the Association's conferences.
The verbal altercation took place ten days after Labor MK and former party head Amir Peretz, who was visiting Morocco as part of a conference held by the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean and the World Trade Organization, was faced aggressive protesting from parliamentarian Achsan Abed el-Halak, who yelled at him, "You're a war criminal! You were the Israeli defense minister and you're not welcome here."
Israeli soldiers, and secret security officers, invaded eight media outlets, on Wednesday at dawn, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, and shut them down under direct military orders, in addition to confiscating equipment.
Some of the invaded agencies are Ramsat, Trans Media and Pal Media, which the military confiscated their broadcast equipment and many machines, for providing services to Palestinian TV stations such as Al-Aqsa and Al-Quds.
The Israeli Military Commander of the Central District of the occupied West Bank, said the stations are “unlicensed”, provide services to what he called “terror elements,” and “engage in incitement.”
The soldiers invaded Trans Media in Nablus, in northern West Bank, and confiscated its equipment, before presenting a military order shutting it down for six months.
Many local youngsters hurled stones at the invading soldiers, who fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs, leading to several injuries.
The soldiers also invaded the offices of Al-Quds TV, Al-Aqsa TV, Palestine Today, Trans Media and Pal Media, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, violently searched them and confiscated their equipment, before shutting them down for six months.
In addition, the soldiers abducted Amer al-Ja’bari, the director of Trans Media, and his brother Ibrahim.
In Bethlehem, the soldiers invaded Pal Media offices, in the al-Karkafa area, and confiscated their equipment, before shutting them down for six months.
Some of the invaded agencies are Ramsat, Trans Media and Pal Media, which the military confiscated their broadcast equipment and many machines, for providing services to Palestinian TV stations such as Al-Aqsa and Al-Quds.
The Israeli Military Commander of the Central District of the occupied West Bank, said the stations are “unlicensed”, provide services to what he called “terror elements,” and “engage in incitement.”
The soldiers invaded Trans Media in Nablus, in northern West Bank, and confiscated its equipment, before presenting a military order shutting it down for six months.
Many local youngsters hurled stones at the invading soldiers, who fired live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs, leading to several injuries.
The soldiers also invaded the offices of Al-Quds TV, Al-Aqsa TV, Palestine Today, Trans Media and Pal Media, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, violently searched them and confiscated their equipment, before shutting them down for six months.
In addition, the soldiers abducted Amer al-Ja’bari, the director of Trans Media, and his brother Ibrahim.
In Bethlehem, the soldiers invaded Pal Media offices, in the al-Karkafa area, and confiscated their equipment, before shutting them down for six months.
13 oct 2017
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered Israeli diplomats to prepare Israel’s withdrawal from the UNESCO in concert with Washington, which announced its decision to pull out of the agency.
Washington said Thursday it decided to pull out of the UNESCO because of its anti-Israel bias, and stressed the need for fundamentally reforming the agency in a way that serves US and Israeli interests.
The US decision cheered Netanyahu up and encouraged him to declare that Israel would follow suit.
He said the UNESCO became “a theater of the absurd because instead of preserving history, it distorts it.”
Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon also praised Washington’s move as heralding “a new era at the UN where there is a price to pay for discrimination against Israel.”
“UNESCO has become a battlefield for Israel bashing and has disregarded its true role and purpose,” Danon said in a statement. “The organization’s absurd and shameful resolutions against Israel have consequences.”
The US was angered in 2011 when UNESCO members granted Palestine full membership of the body and decided to stop funding UNESCO but did not officially withdraw.
The US opposes any move by UN bodies to recognize Palestine as a state, believing that this must await a negotiated Middle East peace deal.
Last July, UNESCO declared the Old City of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank, as a Palestinian World Heritage site in danger, a decision sharply criticized by the US and Israel.
In recent years, UNESCO adopted resolutions that criticized Israel for mishandling heritage Islamic sites in Jerusalem and condemned “Israeli violations and illegal measures against freedom of worship.”
Washington said Thursday it decided to pull out of the UNESCO because of its anti-Israel bias, and stressed the need for fundamentally reforming the agency in a way that serves US and Israeli interests.
The US decision cheered Netanyahu up and encouraged him to declare that Israel would follow suit.
He said the UNESCO became “a theater of the absurd because instead of preserving history, it distorts it.”
Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon also praised Washington’s move as heralding “a new era at the UN where there is a price to pay for discrimination against Israel.”
“UNESCO has become a battlefield for Israel bashing and has disregarded its true role and purpose,” Danon said in a statement. “The organization’s absurd and shameful resolutions against Israel have consequences.”
The US was angered in 2011 when UNESCO members granted Palestine full membership of the body and decided to stop funding UNESCO but did not officially withdraw.
The US opposes any move by UN bodies to recognize Palestine as a state, believing that this must await a negotiated Middle East peace deal.
Last July, UNESCO declared the Old City of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank, as a Palestinian World Heritage site in danger, a decision sharply criticized by the US and Israel.
In recent years, UNESCO adopted resolutions that criticized Israel for mishandling heritage Islamic sites in Jerusalem and condemned “Israeli violations and illegal measures against freedom of worship.”
12 oct 2017
The US has decided to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), accusing the body of "being biased against Israel.”
US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert announced on Thursday that the US would establish an observer mission to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency.
Nauert said the US step reflected the need for fundamental reform in the organization in view of its anti-Israel bias.
Irina Bokova, UNESCO's outgoing director-general, said she "deeply regrets" the decision and is convinced that "UNESCO has never been so important for the US, or the US for UNESCO.”
The decision demonstrates the US administration's "complete and total bias" towards Israel, Mustafa Barghouthi, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative (political party), told al-Jazeera satellite channel over the phone from Ramallah.
"This behavior is counterproductive and shameful,” Barghouthi said
"Sooner or later they will see Palestine in every UN agency. Will the US respond to that by withdrawing from the WHO or the World Intellectual Property Organization? They will be hurting only themselves," he added.
He also said it is "as if Israel is dictating US policy not only in the Middle East but also in international organizations. That's going to have a very harmful effect on the idea the US being a mediator between the Palestinians and the Israelis."
The US was angered in 2011 when UNESCO members granted Palestine full membership of the body and decided to stop funding UNESCO but did not officially withdraw.
The US opposes any move by UN bodies to recognize Palestine as a state, believing that this must await a negotiated Middle East peace deal.
Last July, UNESCO declared the Old City of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank, as a Palestinian World Heritage site in danger, a decision sharply criticized by the US and Israel.
In recent years, UNESCO adopted resolutions that criticized Israel for mishandling heritage Islamic sites in Jerusalem and condemned “Israeli violations and illegal measures against freedom of worship.”
US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert announced on Thursday that the US would establish an observer mission to replace its representation at the Paris-based agency.
Nauert said the US step reflected the need for fundamental reform in the organization in view of its anti-Israel bias.
Irina Bokova, UNESCO's outgoing director-general, said she "deeply regrets" the decision and is convinced that "UNESCO has never been so important for the US, or the US for UNESCO.”
The decision demonstrates the US administration's "complete and total bias" towards Israel, Mustafa Barghouthi, secretary general of the Palestinian National Initiative (political party), told al-Jazeera satellite channel over the phone from Ramallah.
"This behavior is counterproductive and shameful,” Barghouthi said
"Sooner or later they will see Palestine in every UN agency. Will the US respond to that by withdrawing from the WHO or the World Intellectual Property Organization? They will be hurting only themselves," he added.
He also said it is "as if Israel is dictating US policy not only in the Middle East but also in international organizations. That's going to have a very harmful effect on the idea the US being a mediator between the Palestinians and the Israelis."
The US was angered in 2011 when UNESCO members granted Palestine full membership of the body and decided to stop funding UNESCO but did not officially withdraw.
The US opposes any move by UN bodies to recognize Palestine as a state, believing that this must await a negotiated Middle East peace deal.
Last July, UNESCO declared the Old City of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank, as a Palestinian World Heritage site in danger, a decision sharply criticized by the US and Israel.
In recent years, UNESCO adopted resolutions that criticized Israel for mishandling heritage Islamic sites in Jerusalem and condemned “Israeli violations and illegal measures against freedom of worship.”
11 oct 2017
Head of the Studies and Documentation Department at the Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Authority, Abdul-Nasser Farwana, said that over 212 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli jails since 1967 including 6 martyrs who died during Jerusalem Intifada (uprising) which broke out on October 01, 2015.
While marking the second anniversary of the martyrdom of prisoner Fadi al-Derbi who died due to medical negligence, Farwana said that 71 detainees died as a result of torture and 59 due to medical negligence in addition to 7 cases of murder by Israeli gunfire inside jails and 74 others were physically liquidated.
He pointed out that dozens of ex-detainees died shortly after being released from Israeli prisons because of diseases they contracted as a result of torture and medical negligence.
Farwana held the Israeli occupation authorities totally responsible for these murders and appealed to international institutions to urgently take action for bringing Israeli leaders to account and protecting thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli captivity.
While marking the second anniversary of the martyrdom of prisoner Fadi al-Derbi who died due to medical negligence, Farwana said that 71 detainees died as a result of torture and 59 due to medical negligence in addition to 7 cases of murder by Israeli gunfire inside jails and 74 others were physically liquidated.
He pointed out that dozens of ex-detainees died shortly after being released from Israeli prisons because of diseases they contracted as a result of torture and medical negligence.
Farwana held the Israeli occupation authorities totally responsible for these murders and appealed to international institutions to urgently take action for bringing Israeli leaders to account and protecting thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli captivity.
The Israeli government has been gearing up to launch a high-speed electric train connecting Tel Aviv to Occupied Jerusalem.
The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem rail project, which costs an estimated NIS 7 billion ($1.8 billion) and has been in the works for years, will cut travel time down significantly to a 30-minute ride.
The train will reach high speeds and when fully operational it will carry up to 85,000 passengers daily and 4,000 per hour. Another 2,500 passengers can be carried by the train in emergency cases.
Khalil Tufakji, from the Arab Studies Society, has warned that the project aims to connect Israeli settlements to Occupied Jerusalem so as to intensify settlers’ presence in the city and smooth their access to the city center and to Tel Aviv.
The Tel Aviv-Jerusalem rail project, which costs an estimated NIS 7 billion ($1.8 billion) and has been in the works for years, will cut travel time down significantly to a 30-minute ride.
The train will reach high speeds and when fully operational it will carry up to 85,000 passengers daily and 4,000 per hour. Another 2,500 passengers can be carried by the train in emergency cases.
Khalil Tufakji, from the Arab Studies Society, has warned that the project aims to connect Israeli settlements to Occupied Jerusalem so as to intensify settlers’ presence in the city and smooth their access to the city center and to Tel Aviv.
10 oct 2017
Islamic Jihad Movement called on Palestinians to escalate the Intifada (uprising) and frequent al-Aqsa Mosque in order to confront settlers’ incursions into Muslims’ holy places.
In a press statement on Tuesday, the Movement said that the Israeli aggression on Muslims’ holy shrines especially al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem and al-Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil requires more hard work by Palestinians in order to escalate the Intifada and defend their land and holy places.
In a press statement on Tuesday, the Movement said that the Israeli aggression on Muslims’ holy shrines especially al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem and al-Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil requires more hard work by Palestinians in order to escalate the Intifada and defend their land and holy places.
9 oct 2017
Secretary-General of the Islamic-Christian Commission to Support Jerusalem and Holy Sites, Hanna Issa, has warned of the damage wrought by the Israeli excavations across Jerusalem, particularly beneath al-Aqsa Mosque.
“Israel’s underground excavations in the Old City have also moved toward al-Aqsa Mosque from all sides,” said Hanna. “The ultimate objective for the Israelis is to uncover the entire Buraq Wall . . . and the ruins of the alleged temple mount.”
He added that the excavations would lead to the destruction of the buildings and walls adjacent to Buraq Wall.
Issa further warned of the escalating pace of Israel’s settlement activity in Occupied Jerusalem, a city that is surrounded by three settlement blocks, two among them around al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City.
He said such settlements have been built on usurped Palestinian land and on the ruins of Palestinian towns and villages.
In Hanna’s view, such projects dovetail Israeli attempts to sever the ties between Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. He referred to the construction of a 755-kilometer apartheid fence, which started in June 2002 and engulfing Jerusalem and separating it and 1948 Occupied Palestine from the West Bank, as another proof of Israeli attempts to dismember Palestinian territorial contiguity.
“Israel’s underground excavations in the Old City have also moved toward al-Aqsa Mosque from all sides,” said Hanna. “The ultimate objective for the Israelis is to uncover the entire Buraq Wall . . . and the ruins of the alleged temple mount.”
He added that the excavations would lead to the destruction of the buildings and walls adjacent to Buraq Wall.
Issa further warned of the escalating pace of Israel’s settlement activity in Occupied Jerusalem, a city that is surrounded by three settlement blocks, two among them around al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City.
He said such settlements have been built on usurped Palestinian land and on the ruins of Palestinian towns and villages.
In Hanna’s view, such projects dovetail Israeli attempts to sever the ties between Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. He referred to the construction of a 755-kilometer apartheid fence, which started in June 2002 and engulfing Jerusalem and separating it and 1948 Occupied Palestine from the West Bank, as another proof of Israeli attempts to dismember Palestinian territorial contiguity.
More than 300 Israeli settlers, escorted by police, broke into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday morning.
The settlers performed rituals, marking the Sukkot Jewish holiday, while Israeli police, stationed at the gates of the compound, imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshipers to the holy site.
WAFA reported no clashes between the settlers and Muslim worshipers at the holy compound, as is usually the case when settlers break into the site.
In October of 2015, tension ran high across the West Bank, including Jerusalem, against the backdrop of Israel’s repeated assaults on the mosque, including attempts to enforce a unilateral temporal division of the Islamic holy site between Muslims and Jews.
Prior to that, the Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned in a report that “Israeli incitement against Muslims could trigger a conflict that would likely result in disastrous consequences.”
“Among the provocative acts documented by Euro-Med researchers against Palestinians in Jerusalem were performance of Talmudic prayers near Muslim devotees, beating, throwing rubbish, cursing, death threats and preventing worshippers from reaching the mosque,” the report said.
The settlers performed rituals, marking the Sukkot Jewish holiday, while Israeli police, stationed at the gates of the compound, imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshipers to the holy site.
WAFA reported no clashes between the settlers and Muslim worshipers at the holy compound, as is usually the case when settlers break into the site.
In October of 2015, tension ran high across the West Bank, including Jerusalem, against the backdrop of Israel’s repeated assaults on the mosque, including attempts to enforce a unilateral temporal division of the Islamic holy site between Muslims and Jews.
Prior to that, the Euro Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned in a report that “Israeli incitement against Muslims could trigger a conflict that would likely result in disastrous consequences.”
“Among the provocative acts documented by Euro-Med researchers against Palestinians in Jerusalem were performance of Talmudic prayers near Muslim devotees, beating, throwing rubbish, cursing, death threats and preventing worshippers from reaching the mosque,” the report said.
7 oct 2017
The Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies said that 450 Palestinians, including women and children, have been arrested since the outbreak of the Jerusalem Intifada in October 2015 on charges of "incitement" on Facebook.
Media spokesman for the Center, Riyad al-Ashqar, explained that Israel uses what Palestinian youths publish on social media sites as pretexts to detain them on charges of incitement and impose actual or administrative imprisonment sentences on them.
Ashqar pointed out that the detainees included journalists, children and women, adding that an administrative detention order was issued against the Jerusalemite female prisoner Sabah Fir'oun and renewed four times in a row for the same charge.
Ashqar said that Israel has established a special cyber unit to record all that is published by Palestinian youths. Israeli courts claim that posting statements honoring martyrs or videos documenting the Israeli crimes indicates a psychological readiness to carry out anti-Israel attacks.
He noted that the Israeli prosecution presents to the court a file containing dozens of printed Facebook posts as evidence of the Palestinians' willingness to harm Israel's security.
He cited the case of the Jerusalemite journalist Sanaa Dweik who spent 6 months in Israeli jails on charges of incitement because she used words like "Intifada" and "martyrs" in her press work though these terms are widely used in the Palestinian and Arab media.
In similar cases, the Israeli authorities imposed an administrative detention order that was renewed twice against the ex-prisoner Su'ad Erziqat, 28, and sentenced Ahmad Sa'ida, 17, to 11 months on charges of incitement on Facebook.
Since these arbitrary sentences were not enough for Israel, according to Ashqar, those released are ordered not to use Facebook for a certain period of up to months, and they may be fined or held in house arrest.
Ashqar stressed that arresting Palestinians because of their opinions is contrary to the international conventions and laws that allow freedom of expression, calling on the international community to intervene and put an end to the Israeli violations.
Media spokesman for the Center, Riyad al-Ashqar, explained that Israel uses what Palestinian youths publish on social media sites as pretexts to detain them on charges of incitement and impose actual or administrative imprisonment sentences on them.
Ashqar pointed out that the detainees included journalists, children and women, adding that an administrative detention order was issued against the Jerusalemite female prisoner Sabah Fir'oun and renewed four times in a row for the same charge.
Ashqar said that Israel has established a special cyber unit to record all that is published by Palestinian youths. Israeli courts claim that posting statements honoring martyrs or videos documenting the Israeli crimes indicates a psychological readiness to carry out anti-Israel attacks.
He noted that the Israeli prosecution presents to the court a file containing dozens of printed Facebook posts as evidence of the Palestinians' willingness to harm Israel's security.
He cited the case of the Jerusalemite journalist Sanaa Dweik who spent 6 months in Israeli jails on charges of incitement because she used words like "Intifada" and "martyrs" in her press work though these terms are widely used in the Palestinian and Arab media.
In similar cases, the Israeli authorities imposed an administrative detention order that was renewed twice against the ex-prisoner Su'ad Erziqat, 28, and sentenced Ahmad Sa'ida, 17, to 11 months on charges of incitement on Facebook.
Since these arbitrary sentences were not enough for Israel, according to Ashqar, those released are ordered not to use Facebook for a certain period of up to months, and they may be fined or held in house arrest.
Ashqar stressed that arresting Palestinians because of their opinions is contrary to the international conventions and laws that allow freedom of expression, calling on the international community to intervene and put an end to the Israeli violations.
