'Israel' detains head of High Follow-up Committee over Gaza protest

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Nov 2023 19:01
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Mohammad Barakeh, the chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee for 48' Palestinians, has been arrested after announcing plans to organize a protest against the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Illustrative photo of Israeli occupation Police officers (AFP)

Israeli occupation police arrested Mohammad Barakeh, the chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee for 48' Palestinians, in relation to plans to organize a protest against the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza.

According to local media, the occupation police took Barakeh to a police station for questioning in the "Nof HaGalil" settlement.

Barakeh was taken into custody by the police from his car near al-Nasira, according to a statement released by the human rights group Adalah.

According to the statement, Barakeh was detained for interrogation at the former police station in "Nof HaGalil" while en route to a protest march against the war on Gaza.

It further stated that Yusuf Tatoor, Hanin Zoabi, Sami Abu Shahada, and Mahmoud Mawassi had all been detained by police on the same grounds.

Meanwhile, according to a statement from the Israeli occupation police, Barakeh was taken into custody for interrogation because he was organizing an event that "could lead to incitement or harm public peace."

This comes one day after Barakeh informed the commander of the Israeli occupation police station in al-Nasira of the intention of the Higher Follow-up Committee to organize a protest in al-Ain Square in the city, with the participation of 50 people.

At the time, he emphasized that arranging this demonstration “does not require a license,” urging the Israeli authorities not to persecute or ban the rally.

It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation police don't require special authorization if a protest has 50 or fewer participants.

'Arrests are criminal, unjustified, and unprecedented'

The Adalah Center noted that the arrests come as part of a "systematic policy aimed at silencing all criticism, opposition, or rejection of Israeli public policy, as well as shameful suppression of the freedom of demonstration and persecution of Palestinians in the territories occupied in 1948."

Amjad Shubita, the Democratic Front Secretary and a member of the High Follow-up Committee, stated that these arrests are "criminal, unjustified, and unprecedented."

Shubita told Al Mayadeen that the Israeli government wanted to nip the demonstration in the bud, delivering a message to the 48' Palestinians that everyone is prone to arrest.

He also emphasized that the Israeli government has been suppressing any attempt to organize a protest in solidarity with Gaza since the Israeli aggression started.

Addressing the Israeli occupation, he gushed, "You may silence some voices but not all of them at the same time."

"We are part of this battle and we want to raise our voices to stop the war," he concluded.

Since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Israeli occupation has been tightening its grip on the occupied West Bank and al-Quds in whatever way possible, killing 16 Palestinians today.