Israeli authorities are seeking 12 charges against Ahed Tamimi, a prominent 16-year-old Palestinian activist filmed slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank.
The teenager was detained on December 19, four days after the video showing her confronting the soldiers outside her family’s home in the village of Nabi Saleh went viral.
The incident occurred moments after Israeli forces had shot Ahed’s 15-year-old cousin point-blank in the face with a rubber bullet. The wounded minor experienced severe internal bleeding and was placed under a medically-induced coma for 72 hours.
"So we Sit at home and see the news?
who would Free Palestine then? You wanna wait Salah Al-Din to come back and Free the land? No point!
Why don't we make from ourselves Salah Al-Din and Free our Own Land?!"Ahed kept the Presenter Speechless.#FreeAhedTamimi #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/eZB5FsnMri
— #FreeAhedTamimi (@AlTamimiAhed) December 30, 2017
Ahed’s 20-year-old cousin Nour, who also appeared in the video, as well as her mother were also arrested soon afterwards.
During a hearing on Monday at Israel’s Ofer military court near Ramallah, Ahed was charged with 12 counts, including allegedly assaulting an Israeli soldier, interfering with a soldier’s duties and two past instances of stone-throwing, according to her lawyer Gabi Laski.
Laski told Al Jazeera that Nariman was also charged with alleged “incitement” for uploading the video on social media, as well as another charge of assault.
Why aren't Western feminist groups supporting Ahed Tamimi? https://t.co/gCZKCYirxH – #AJOpinion
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 1, 2018
The lawyer said that Ahed and Nariman’s charges include alleged old incidents unrelated to the video.
Nour was charged on Sunday for allegedly assaulting a soldier and interfering with a soldier’s duties, said Laski.
The Tamimi family are well-known activists in Nabi Saleh.
Poster appearing in London. pic.twitter.com/pvPgApUJWN
— #FreeAhedTamimi (@AlTamimiAhed) December 28, 2017
While this is the first time Ahed has been detained by Israeli forces, Nariman has been arrested at least five times before.
On Thursday, Manal Tamimi, who is related to the women, was also arrested during a demonstration outside the Ofer detention centre demanding the release of her relatives and Munther Amira, another prominent Palestinian activist in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem who was arrested last week.
Laski said that she was able to secure the release of Nour and Manal – who has not been charged with a crime. However, the Israeli army’s prosecutors have until Tuesday to appeal the decision.
(Al Jazeera, Social Media)
