Photo: Haim Schwarczenberg, https://schwarczenberg.com /Wikimedia Commons
World human rights organizations are reacting to the Israeli military trial of Ahed Tamimi, 17-year-old Palestinian girl, with condemnation of disregard for her rights and called for her immediate release.
Tamimi, who has become the symbol of Palestinian suffering in the face of Israeli occupation, was arrested on accusation that she had slapped and shoved two Israeli soldiers, who entered her family’s front yard in December 2017.
Human Rights Watch says Tamimi’s village, Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank, is the site of weekly protests by Palestinians over confiscated land.
The HRW says, a military judge has already disregarded Tamimi’s rights, who has been detained in violation of international laws since her arrest after a video of her shoving the Israeli soldiers went viral.
Tamimi is now known as the “Rosa Parks of Palestine.”
Amnesty International has urged rights activists to put global pressure for her immediate release.
“Help us put global pressure on Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to free her immediately,” the AI said in a Facebook post.
Israelis, supporting her trial, say her slapping and shoving of the Israeli soldiers is personal for them. Tel Aviv often cites self-defense as the reason for its measures against Palestinian protesters.
According to an account of her bail hearing in January by HRW, Tamimi’s lawyer noted that international human rights law permits the detention of children only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.
But, the HRW adds, the military judge ruled that he “did not think the articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child should be viewed as absolute.” Tamimi’s lawyer also argued that Tamimi’s detention inside Israel violated article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the occupying power from transferring people, even temporarily, out of the occupied territory. The judge held that the transfer is authorized by an emergency regulation that “has precedence over international law.”
In a statement, Amnesty International describe the events of December 15, 2017 that led to the capture of the teenage girl.
Ahed Tamimi and her family were protesting against U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the AI said.
“In a horrifying turn of events, Ahed’s 14-year-old cousin, Mohammed, was shot in the head at close range by an Israeli soldier. He required intensive surgery, where part of his skull was removed, in order to dislodge the rubber bullet.
“Later that day, Ahed also came face to face with Israeli soldiers, when they entered the yard of her family’s house. A video, which has since gone viral, shows the unarmed teenage girl slapping, shoving and kicking two armed Israeli soldiers who are wearing protective gear. It was clear she posed no actual threat to them – as they lightly swatted her advances away. But now she could face up to 10 years in prison – a punishment which is blatantly disproportionate.
“On 19 December, Ahed’s home was raided by Israeli soldiers during the night. She was arrested – and now faces charges of aggravated assault, obstructing the work of soldiers, and incitement.”
Amnesty International says “there is nothing Ahed Tamimi has done that can justify the continuing detention” of the child. She is one of approximately 350 Palestinian children held in Israeli prisons and detention centers.
