Releasing a Jerusalemite journalist, threat of indictment against another… Arrests and expulsions from Al-Aqsa Mosque
The occupation authorities released the Jerusalemite journalist Latifa Abdel Latif on Tuesday evening, while indictments were filed against four youths from the village of Issawiya. Arrests and expulsions from Al-Aqsa Mosque continued.
During a session on Tuesday, the court considered the appeal filed by the police against the Magistrate's Court decision to release journalist Latifa Abdel Latif. After hearing the arguments of both parties—the police and the journalist's defense attorney—the judge rejected the police appeal and upheld the Magistrate's Court decision.
The court's decision stipulates that journalist Latifa be released on the condition that she pay bail, sign a financial guarantee, and appear for interrogation immediately upon being summoned.
Latifa was arrested from the Damascus Gate area last Sunday evening. Police charged her with "incitement" and publishing "online posts that glorified terrorism and sympathized with a terrorist organization," according to the police.
Nasser Odeh, the lawyer for journalist Latifa, said that what the police are claiming is part of freedom of the press, thought, and opinion, emphasizing that they hope that the political persecution of political and social activists in Jerusalem will stop.
Odeh emphasized that the publications discussed are old (published six months ago), and that the police did not mention the date of publication for some of them. Therefore, there is no reason to keep her in custody, and she does not pose any danger.
Indictments filed against four youths from Issawiya
The Public Prosecution filed indictments today in the District Court against the youths Musa Mustafa, Marwan Mustafa, Mohammad Mheisen, and Mohammad Da’as from Issawiya. These indictments include "assaulting a settler inside his vehicle with stones and empty bottles while he was driving in Issawiya and attempting to harm him on January 30, 2025."
The judge postponed the youths' trial until April 8, 2025.
Additional indictments will be filed against another group of youths and young men in the same case next Thursday.
Arrests and expulsions from Al-Aqsa
Arrests continue during the month of Ramadan. Israeli forces arrested Hassan Mohammad Abbasi, an employee of the Reconstruction Committee at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and released him on condition that he be banned from entering Al-Aqsa for a week, with the possibility of renewal.
The forces also arrested Anwar Obeid, Hamed Obeid, and Mohammad Ayman Obeid from the village of Issawiya as they were heading to work in the morning. Their detention was extended until Friday.
The police reported in a statement that they arrested ten Palestinians on the pretext of entering Jerusalem "illegally."
The forces also raided the home of the Shqeirat family in Jabal al-Mukabber and arrested Abu Arafat Shqeirat.
From the town of Anata, the forces arrested 14-year-old Thahir Abu Eid.
The occupation authorities renewed the ban imposed on the freed prisoner Jamil Abbasi from entering Al-Aqsa for four months, and handed photojournalist Mohammad Dweik a ban on entering Al-Aqsa for two months, and journalist Mohammad Sadiq a ban on entering Al-Aqsa for three months. Yesterday evening, security forces arrested Ms. Najah Abu Zeina from the Lions Gate area and released her on condition that she be banned from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque for a week, with the possibility of renewal.
A hearing to "file an indictment" against journalist Bayan Jo’beh
On Monday, the Intelligence service summoned journalist Bayan Jo’beh to the Al-Qishla police station in the Old City of Jerusalem, where she was interrogated for more than three hours. During the interrogation, Jo’beh was informed that a hearing had been scheduled for her at the Magistrate's Court next Thursday to file an indictment against her.
Journalist Bayan Jo’beh was arrested on February 28, 2025, from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. She was interrogated for several hours before being released due to her health condition (she was in the last month of pregnancy and her pregnancy was classified as high-risk). She remains under house arrest to this day.
