'Israel' detains US teen for 9 months, forces confession under threat
6 Min Read
The Israeli occupation has detained 16-year-old US citizen Mohammed Ibrahim for 9 months after having forced him into an admission of throwing rocks; US lawmakers are raising concerns over his treatment.
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Undated photo of detained Palestinian teen Mohammed Ibrahim. (Courtesy of Mohammed Ibrahim's family)
The Israeli embassy in Washington has circulated a letter to US lawmakers defending the nine-month military detention of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida, as pressure mounts for his release.
The letter, obtained by The Guardian, outlines "Israel's" allegations against Ibrahim, who has been charged with throwing objects at moving vehicles. The embassy claimed he confessed during interrogation the night of his arrest on February 16. However, Ibrahim later submitted a sworn affidavit stating, “The interrogator threatened that if I did not comply, he would instruct the soldiers to beat me. Out of sheer fear, I ultimately confessed.”
The letter does not address Ibrahim’s significant weight loss or the fact that his family has had nearly no contact with him since his detention. A video of the interrogation viewed by The Guardian in July reportedly showed no lawyer or legal guardian present.
Lawmakers demand answers on Mohammed Ibrahim's treatment
The document’s circulation follows a letter signed by 27 Democratic lawmakers in October, expressing “grave concern” over Ibrahim’s condition. Addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US ambassador to "Israel", the lawmakers requested a response detailing the administration’s efforts to secure Ibrahim’s release.
Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the embassy’s communication, saying, “As is often the case with information from the Netanyahu government, this letter deals in half-truths and is missing critical facts. It must be the priority of the US government to secure the release of this American boy.”
Ibrahim has been held in Israeli military detention without a completed trial since February. Initially held at Megiddo prison, he was transferred to Ofer prison in August. Military court proceedings have yet to conclude, with the latest hearing, scheduled for November 9, postponed to mid-December.
A 2013 UNICEF report identifies "Israel" as the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in military courts. Israeli media reported in 2011 that 99.74% of such cases end in conviction.
Family alleges abuse, lack of medical care
The embassy letter states Ibrahim was examined by doctors 10 times and treated for scabies, with weekly BMI monitoring. However, a prison medical report from April recorded a “low BMI” after Ibrahim had lost roughly a quarter of his body weight. His family confirmed they have had no direct contact with him since the detention began.
In a statement to The Guardian, the family said they recently hired a new lawyer as a “show of good faith” who requires time to review the case. An Israeli official, speaking to The Guardian, claimed the defense “hasn’t been engaging at all, but instead has been running a political pressure campaign on the Israeli government.”
State Department involvement and delayed court hearings
The letter from the Israeli embassy notes Ibrahim’s father attended two court hearings, including one via video conference, and that a US consular official visited him on August 4. It adds that “the current emergency directive stipulates that there are no family visits for security prisoners.”
In September, the US State Department appointed a dedicated official to oversee Ibrahim’s case. A spokesperson told The Guardian, “The state department is tracking Mr Ibrahim’s case closely and working with the government of Israel on this case. The ambassador and the Embassy Jerusalem staff have been deeply involved in working on this case and continue to do so.”
Ibrahim was detained while visiting his family's home in the West Bank, where he was blindfolded and handcuffed before being moved to Megiddo prison. Ibrahim was still 15 at the time.
Previous crimes committed against American passport holders
The Israeli entity does not shy away from the US passport and has committed a number of aggressions against US citizens within occupied Palestinian territory.
One of the most notorious cases is that of Rachel Corrie, who was killed by Israeli forces on March 16, 2003, in Rafah, southern Gaza, while trying to block an Israeli military bulldozer from demolishing the homes of Palestinian civilians. The bulldozer crushed Corrie to death.
The Israeli forces claimed in a report that Corrie was killed as a result of injuries sustained when "earth and debris accidentally fell on her." Eyewitnesses to the incident stated that Corrie was visible, stating that during the incident, she was eye level with the cabin, but the vehicle continued moving forward until she was mortally wounded.
Another example of "Israel's" attacks on US citizens happened on 11 May 2022, when Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was murdered by Israeli sniper fire in the West Bank.
Forensic analysis proved that Abu Akleh's murder was no mistake and that she was killed by an Israeli sniper while donning her vest, clearly labeled PRESS.
Washington's official report stated that shots fired from IOF forces were "likely responsible" but failed to blame the Israeli regime for the killing.
Former Colonel Steve Gabavics, a veteran military police officer and the lead US investigator assigned to the case, went to the scene of the crime and declared that the shooting of Abu Akleh was deliberate. However, after his retirement, the US government downplayed his findings in order to appease the Israeli government.
Read more: Forensic analysis proves IOF deliberately killed Shireen Abu Akleh
More recent is the case of Turkish-American human rights activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank on September 6, 2024.
Information disclosed shortly after her murder revealed that she was shot by an IOF soldier from a distance while volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
Palestinian eyewitness Mounir Khdair, speaking with Anadolu, stated that the Israeli soldier who took the fatal shot "was happy, he shouted for joy."
In response to her killing, the US called on "Israel" to investigate the incident, but ruled out conducting a probe of their own.
Former US President Joe Biden dismissed the killing as an "accident," further adding to the fact that the US would rather appease "Israel" than do its citizens justice.
