Khalil Tufkaji, Director of Cartographic Section of the Arab Studies Society in Beit Hanina town, north of occupied Jerusalem, was arrested by Israeli forces, which stormed his office on Tuesday morning and ordered its closure, the PIC reported.
The decision to shut down the office was issued by the Israeli Minister of Public Security, Gilad Erdan.
The Israeli police issued a statement stating the office “threatens Israel’s settlement ambitions” as it was dedicated to the research of land in the Palestinian territories, including settlement monitoring, soil surveys, land confiscation. It further threatens “Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem”, according to the statement.
Khalil Al-khafji, who plays a vital role in exposing Israeli anti-Palestinian practices in occupied Jerusalem, was arrested by Israel. pic.twitter.com/t3ODHxeWWL
— Refaatesque (@ThisIsGaZa) March 14, 2017
The Arab Studies Society was established in 1980, registered in Israel as a public institute and was located in the historic Orient House building. Like any think-tank, the society organized lectures and conferences and housed a big public library.
Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli forces arrested Tufakji and confiscated all computers in the Society along with numerous files.
(PIC, PC, Social Media)
