In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have once again arrested Ahed Tamimi, a well-known 22-year-old Palestinian activist, accusing her of “inciting terrorism.” The arrest follows a recent surge in overnight raids and clashes in the region since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last month.
According to reports, the Israeli army conducted multiple raids across the West Bank, including in the village of Nabi Saleh, where Tamimi was apprehended. An army spokesperson stated that Tamimi was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence and terrorist activities. She has been transferred to Israeli security forces for further questioning.
During the raid, Israeli forces searched Tamimi’s house and confiscated the mobile phones of her family members. It should be noted that her father, Bassem Tamimi, was also arrested by Israeli forces during a raid last week, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Israeli media claims that Tamimi called for the murder of settlers in the West Bank in an Instagram post. However, Tamimi’s mother, Nariman Tamimi, denied that her daughter wrote the post, stating that there are numerous online pages in Ahed’s name that she has no connection to.
The Israeli army celebrated Tamimi’s arrest by posting a picture on Facebook and mocking her, asking, “Where is her smile now?” Tamimi and her family have long been involved in non-violent resistance in Nabi Saleh, with her father having been arrested multiple times and spending years in prison.
Tamimi gained international attention in 2012 when a video of her confronting an Israeli soldier, who had come to arrest her brother, went viral. She was previously arrested in December 2017, along with her mother and cousin, and was sentenced to eight months in jail on charges including assault, incitement, and stone-throwing.
Tamimi’s arrest comes amid ongoing Israeli raids and clashes in the occupied West Bank. The occupying forces have been intensifying their nightly raids on Palestinian homes, villages, and cities in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Footage from the recent clashes showed widespread destruction of roads and cars.
In one of the largest military raids, Israeli forces arrested Rafat Alian, an adviser to the Palestinian Authority government and a member of Fatah, during a live interview at the Shuafat refugee camp. Since October 7, Israel has arrested approximately 1,740 Palestinians in overnight raids, with many being held without trial or charge under laws and military orders.
The situation in the occupied West Bank remains tense, with Palestinians continuing to face violence and oppression from Israeli forces. Tamimi’s arrest has once again brought international attention to the ongoing struggles and resistance of the Palestinian people against occupation and injustice.
