What is happening in the last few weeks in the courts and across the country?
On June 21, 2022, as part of a preparatory tour for the establishment of illegal outposts, a group of young men arrived at the lands of the village of Iskaka.
The landowners came to protect their land. A conflict arose with the invaders who wanted to set up a tent on the spot. The older companion of the young men pulled out a knife and stabbed Ali Hassan Harb who died of his wounds. The stabber escaped and was arrested only when he arrived at the police station to complain about an assault. He claimed that the stabbing was an act of self-defense.
Carrying a knife for defensive purposes and using it are against the law. Invasion to privately owned land is also against the law. After arrest, the attacker was released to house arrest. Last week the state announced that he would not be prosecuted at all.
Human rights activists Neta Ben Porat, rabbi Arik Ascherman and Gil Hamershlag were attacked by settlers while they were helping to harvest olives in the lands of the village of Zurif. After the army left the area a group of settlers from Bat Ayin descended from a hill toward the activists. The activists were attacked with rocks and clubs. Neta who documented the event, was attacked with a nailed club. They broke her arm and hurt her leg. Despite the document, only one attacker was arrested. At the moment, a plea deal is being worked out with the attacker and only him. This is what Neta writes in an opinion article for the newspaper "Haaretz": "Determination" similar to that of the forces in the field was also demonstrated by the investigative unit. Dozens of high-resolution photos and videos that we sent to the investigators did not help them locate the attackers. Basic investigative operations were not carried out and the only ones identified, arrested and interrogated were some of the Palestinian farmers with whom we were harvesting.
The attack against us could not have been carried out by a single attacker. It took more than ten stone throwers and two who attacked with clubs to leave us with wounds in body and soul, with which we live. Since the State of Israel chooses not to bring the attackers to justice, and refrains from accusing them of a joint attack, it itself can actually be blamed for this: after all, there is no incompetence here, but cooperation between the state authorities and the violent settlers."
There are currently 745 administrative detainees in the State of Israel. Detainees who do not know what they were arrested for and are not candidates for trial. Their periods of detention are extended time and time again and sometimes reach several years. The administrative prisoner Khalil Awawdeh reached a critical condition, only then did the legal authorities guarantee that he would be released at the end of the current administrative detention and until then he will be treated in a hospital. Jewish criminals who have solid evidence of their actions are released, Palestinians are in detention without prosecution.
On August 18, Israeli forces raided and closed the offices of 7 Palestinian civil society non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the West Bank.
In October 22, 2021, the Government of Israel had designated these organizations as “terrorist organizations” and/or “unlawful”. No substitutional information was received. 8 European countries (Italy, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Sweden) declared: "we will continue our cooperation and strong support for the civil society in the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territory). A free and strong civil society is indispensable for promoting democratic values and for the two states solution".
A classified CIA report also couldn't find any evidence to support Israel's decision. 25 UN experts have condemned Israel's crackdown on Palestinian NGOs. 53 Israeli human rights organisations including"Looking the occupation in the eyes" declared - "human rights are not terror."
The State of Israel ignores the international factors, threatens the leaders of the organizations not to continue working. What are they afraid of in the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli government? Maybe from the International Criminal Court in the Hague?
Israel is an apartheid state where the courts, police and prosecutors, rule according to national and political affiliation and not according to deeds and solid evidence.
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