Human rights groups accused Israeli authorities of “discriminatory policies”, as the sentencing of Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi yesterday prompted widespread condemnation.

As part of a plea bargain, 17-year-old Tamimi, from Nabi Saleh village in the occupied West Bank, was sentenced to eight months jailtime, a 5,000 shekel ($1,437) fine, and a three-year suspended sentence.

 

Responding to the news, Amnesty International said that “the continued imprisonment of Palestinian child activist Ahed Tamimi is a flagrant attempt to intimidate those who dare challenge the circumstances of the ongoing occupation.”

 

In a statement released yesterday evening, Magdalena Mughrabi, Amnesty International’s deputy director for the Middle East and Africa, accused Israeli authorities of having “no regard for the rights of Palestinian children” and “no intention to reverse their discriminatory policies”.

 

Human Rights Watch also condemned the sentencing. Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the NGO’s Middle East division, noted how “plea bargains are the norm in Israel’s military justice system, which is characterised by prolonged pretrial detention, abuse of kids and sham trials”. Hundreds of Palestinian children “remain locked up with little attention on their cases”, she added.

 

Israeli rights NGO B’Tselem, meanwhile, noted:

 

"The conviction rate in Israel’s military courts in the West Bank is almost 100% – not because the military prosecution is so efficient, but because Palestinian defendants reluctantly sign plea bargains in which they plead guilty".

 

Ahed Tamimi was arrested on 19 December 2017, after her mother Nariman posted footage online of the teenager confronting Israeli soldiers in the family’s backyard.

 

Ahed was convicted on four of the 12 charges against her including incitement, aggravated assault and two counts of obstructing Israeli soldiers.

 

Her mother Nariman was sentenced to eight months in prison in addition to a fine of 6,000 shekels ($1,724) and a three-year suspended sentence for assisting in assaulting a soldier, obstructing a soldier and incitement. Ahed’s cousin, Noor, was fined 2,000 shekels ($575).

 

 

 

Source: Middle East Monitor