RAMALLAH: Israeli forces have arrested the coordinator of the Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Separation Wall. Abdullah Abu Rahmeh’s home in the West Bank city of Ramallah was raided early on Thursday. His brother Ratib told Arab News that Abdullah was dragged from his bed in front of his wife and children. The arrested is a high school teacher at the Latin Patriarchate School in the West Bank city of Birzeit.
A previous raid targeting Abu Rahmeh on Sept. 15 subsequently led to an Israeli soldier being charged with assault. The International Solidarity Movement said that Abu Rahmeh’s arrest is part of an escalation in the Israeli attempts to break the spirit of the people of Bil’in, their leadership, and is aimed at crushing demonstrations against the Wall.
Israeli attorney Gaby Lasky, who represents many of Bil’in’s detainees, said that Abu Rahmeh’s arrest is another “blatant illustration of the Israeli authorities’ application of legal procedures for the political persecution of Bil’in residents. “The Bil’in demonstrators are being systemically targeted while it is the Israeli government that is in contempt of a High Court of Justice ruling,” he added. Lasky was referring to the decision two years ago that the route of the Wall in the area be changed. Lasky added that the military prosecution informed him the army intends to use legal measures as a means of ending the demonstrations. Since June 23, Israel has held 31 residents of Bil’in.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Minister of Detainees and Ex-detainees, Issa Qaraqi’ accused Israel of putting obstacles in negotiations with Hamas for a prisoner swap involving captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, saying they are refusing to free certain incarcerated Palestinians.
“These obstacles have appeared, but I think the negotiations are still ongoing, just not that fast,” Qaraqi’ said. Hamas and Israel have been holding indirect talks through Germany and Egypt to finalize the deal, which could lead to around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners being released in exchange for Shalit.
