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Aisha Mohammed Talal al-Rabi 46, Stoned to death by settlers 12 oct 2018 |
10 jan 2019
Israel’s Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court agreed on Thursday to release to house arrest four of the five Israeli suspects in the October murder of a Palestinian woman.
The court ordered that the fifth suspect remain in Shin Bet custody for another six days.
The Shin Bet as well as the lawyers representing the teens confirmed the ruling, which was made behind closed doors.
“We, of course, are happy about [the police’s request], but we will demand an investigation into how the Shin Bet reached such a situation in which it so harshly investigated innocent individuals, while completely ignoring their cries as well as the cries of their families and attorneys,” said lawyer Hay Haber, who accused the security agency of violently interrogating his clients.
On Sunday, the Shin Bet partially lifted a gag order on the case and announced that it had arrested the five, students from the Pri Haaretz yeshiva in the Rehelim settlement, on suspicion of involvement in the killing of Aisha al Rabi, a 47-year-old Palestinian mother of eight.
Aisha was struck on the head by a large rock on the evening of October 12 as she traveled by car to her West Bank home with her husband and daughter. She was pronounced dead at a Nablus hospital a short time later.
Rabi’s husband, who was driving the targeted vehicle, said he heard a small group of Hebrew speakers at the scene shortly after the rock was thrown.
Israeli investigations into settler terrorism are rarely conducted. Left-wing activists have accused authorities of dragging their feet in such cases in comparison to investigations into Palestinian anti-occupation attacks.
Settlers Suspected of Stoning Palestinian Mother to Death Released
Israeli authorities released to house arrest, on Thursday, four of five Israeli settlers held on suspicion of involvement in killing a Palestinian mother, last October.
Aisha Muhammad Talal al-Rabi, 47, a mother of eight children, from the Bidya village near Salfit in the northern occupied West Bank, was killed and her husband was injured, after Israeli settlers hurled rocks at their vehicle near the Zaatara checkpoint, in Nablus, \northern West Bank.
Israeli authorities arrested the five Israeli settlers on December 30th. However, they did not confirm the arrests until earlier this week, due to a gag order which forbids the public disclosure of information or comment on a particular matter.
According to a statement by Shin Bet, the remand of the fifth Israeli settler has been extended for another six days.
Shin Bet added that the five, who are students at the Pri Haaretz religious seminary in the Rechelim settlement, in the northern occupied West Bank distirct of Nablus, were arrested “after intelligence efforts connecting them to the death of al-Rabi.”
“The four were released after it was decided that the investigation could continue while they were under house arrest and other limiting conditions,” the Shin Bet noted.
The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammed the killing of Aisha by Israeli settlers and called it “a heinous crime that cannot go unpunished.”
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.
Palestinian towns and villages in the Nablus area are surrounded by Israeli settlements and outposts, many of which are protected by the Israeli military and have gained notoriety for being comprised of the most extremist settlers.
However, the Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and violent acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
The court ordered that the fifth suspect remain in Shin Bet custody for another six days.
The Shin Bet as well as the lawyers representing the teens confirmed the ruling, which was made behind closed doors.
“We, of course, are happy about [the police’s request], but we will demand an investigation into how the Shin Bet reached such a situation in which it so harshly investigated innocent individuals, while completely ignoring their cries as well as the cries of their families and attorneys,” said lawyer Hay Haber, who accused the security agency of violently interrogating his clients.
On Sunday, the Shin Bet partially lifted a gag order on the case and announced that it had arrested the five, students from the Pri Haaretz yeshiva in the Rehelim settlement, on suspicion of involvement in the killing of Aisha al Rabi, a 47-year-old Palestinian mother of eight.
Aisha was struck on the head by a large rock on the evening of October 12 as she traveled by car to her West Bank home with her husband and daughter. She was pronounced dead at a Nablus hospital a short time later.
Rabi’s husband, who was driving the targeted vehicle, said he heard a small group of Hebrew speakers at the scene shortly after the rock was thrown.
Israeli investigations into settler terrorism are rarely conducted. Left-wing activists have accused authorities of dragging their feet in such cases in comparison to investigations into Palestinian anti-occupation attacks.
Settlers Suspected of Stoning Palestinian Mother to Death Released
Israeli authorities released to house arrest, on Thursday, four of five Israeli settlers held on suspicion of involvement in killing a Palestinian mother, last October.
Aisha Muhammad Talal al-Rabi, 47, a mother of eight children, from the Bidya village near Salfit in the northern occupied West Bank, was killed and her husband was injured, after Israeli settlers hurled rocks at their vehicle near the Zaatara checkpoint, in Nablus, \northern West Bank.
Israeli authorities arrested the five Israeli settlers on December 30th. However, they did not confirm the arrests until earlier this week, due to a gag order which forbids the public disclosure of information or comment on a particular matter.
According to a statement by Shin Bet, the remand of the fifth Israeli settler has been extended for another six days.
Shin Bet added that the five, who are students at the Pri Haaretz religious seminary in the Rechelim settlement, in the northern occupied West Bank distirct of Nablus, were arrested “after intelligence efforts connecting them to the death of al-Rabi.”
“The four were released after it was decided that the investigation could continue while they were under house arrest and other limiting conditions,” the Shin Bet noted.
The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammed the killing of Aisha by Israeli settlers and called it “a heinous crime that cannot go unpunished.”
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.
Palestinian towns and villages in the Nablus area are surrounded by Israeli settlements and outposts, many of which are protected by the Israeli military and have gained notoriety for being comprised of the most extremist settlers.
However, the Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and violent acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
9 jan 2019
Jewish seminary in West Bank at center of probe into murder of Palestinian mother of nine in October; suspects' lawyers accuse authorities of 'illegal conduct'.
Israel Police on Wednesday summoned another 30 students at the Pri Haaretz yeshiva in the West Bank settlement of Rehelim for questioning over the murder of a Palestinian woman last year. Police believe that the death of Aisha al-Rawbi in October 2018 is linked to five members of the yeshiva who are currently in custody.
Police initially handed out the summons in private, but then went on to leave the rest with the yeshiva counselors.
Aisha al-Rawbi, a 47-year-old mother of nine, was killed when a rock thrown at the vehicle in which she, her husband and nine-year-old daughter were travelling hit her on the head.
The Honenu organization, which provides legal aid to Jewish terror suspects, claimed that the police carried out what is said was "illegal activity."
"The police entered the yeshiva illegally, without a warrant permitting them to enter private property, and were later warned by the yeshiva staff that their entrance was illegal and harmful to the students' learning," the organization said in a statement.
"The police should make a decision; at the moment there are five youths in interrogation rooms—are they are no longer suspects?" Honenu added. "Is it possible that 80 children threw one stone? The police are operating illegally. (Public Security) Minister Gilad Erdan must wake up and end the trampling of the rights of children in educational institutions."
Police have already questioned around 30 other youths who attend the yeshiva on suspicion of throwing stones at the vehicle in which al-Rawbi was driving. The five suspects held by police will remain in custody at least until Thursday.
Meanwhile, the lawyers of two of the five youths boycotted a remand hearing at Lod District Court, after the boys were not brought to the court and their lawyers were not informed of this.
Adi Keidar, an attorney with Honenu, accused the police of consistently violating the law.
"We take a severe view of illegal police conduct," he said. "We made it clear to them that entring private property area and residences can be done by warrant only. Despite this warning, police broke into the yeshiva. One should remember that the students are already frightened by the (police) conduct of the past two months, and we expect that this will be investigated immediately by the Police Internal Investigations Department. "
Itamar Ben-Gvir, an attorney for some of the suspects, also lashed out at the police.
"The arrival of police officers to hand out summons at an educational institutions is a new low in the conduct of the police and the Shin Bet (domestic security service) in this case," he said.
On Tuesday, the heads of the yeshiva, Rabbis David Ben Natan and Yehuda Liebman, sent a letter to parents and students in which they accused the Shin Bet of cruelty to youths and of a vicious attack on their institution.The two claimed that they had fully cooperated the defense establishment, including a meeting with heads of the Jewish Department, and encouraged the students and their parents to do so, but that the Shin Bet had exploited this cooperation.
The father of one of the suspects told Ynet on Tuesday that he has no doubt that the Shin Bet was harassing the detainees.
"Let's say that some children committed an act that requires an educational response, and for this they are being tortured?," he said. "For this they have tied a child to a chair for 12-14 hours in a row and screamed into his ears? They tell him things he is incapable of hearing and break his soul? Because he scribbled on a flag?"
The father was referring to a video that the five suspects made of themselves burning the Israeli flag, which was released to the public earlier this week. Security forces also confiscated Israeli flags daubed with Nazi slogans from the home of one of the detainees.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement of support for the Shin Bet on Tuesday, in apparent answer to complaints against the agency by the families of the five minors.
"Several hours ago, we caught the murderer from Givat Assaf and Ofra," Netanyahu said, referring to the successful conclusion of a massive manhunt in the West Bank. "For this operation, I praise Yamam (Israel Police special forces), the IDF and first and foremost the Shin Bet, which is the best counter-terrorism organization of its kind in the world. We owe it a great deal, it performs professionally and morally. There is no room to attack it."
Israel Police on Wednesday summoned another 30 students at the Pri Haaretz yeshiva in the West Bank settlement of Rehelim for questioning over the murder of a Palestinian woman last year. Police believe that the death of Aisha al-Rawbi in October 2018 is linked to five members of the yeshiva who are currently in custody.
Police initially handed out the summons in private, but then went on to leave the rest with the yeshiva counselors.
Aisha al-Rawbi, a 47-year-old mother of nine, was killed when a rock thrown at the vehicle in which she, her husband and nine-year-old daughter were travelling hit her on the head.
The Honenu organization, which provides legal aid to Jewish terror suspects, claimed that the police carried out what is said was "illegal activity."
"The police entered the yeshiva illegally, without a warrant permitting them to enter private property, and were later warned by the yeshiva staff that their entrance was illegal and harmful to the students' learning," the organization said in a statement.
"The police should make a decision; at the moment there are five youths in interrogation rooms—are they are no longer suspects?" Honenu added. "Is it possible that 80 children threw one stone? The police are operating illegally. (Public Security) Minister Gilad Erdan must wake up and end the trampling of the rights of children in educational institutions."
Police have already questioned around 30 other youths who attend the yeshiva on suspicion of throwing stones at the vehicle in which al-Rawbi was driving. The five suspects held by police will remain in custody at least until Thursday.
Meanwhile, the lawyers of two of the five youths boycotted a remand hearing at Lod District Court, after the boys were not brought to the court and their lawyers were not informed of this.
Adi Keidar, an attorney with Honenu, accused the police of consistently violating the law.
"We take a severe view of illegal police conduct," he said. "We made it clear to them that entring private property area and residences can be done by warrant only. Despite this warning, police broke into the yeshiva. One should remember that the students are already frightened by the (police) conduct of the past two months, and we expect that this will be investigated immediately by the Police Internal Investigations Department. "
Itamar Ben-Gvir, an attorney for some of the suspects, also lashed out at the police.
"The arrival of police officers to hand out summons at an educational institutions is a new low in the conduct of the police and the Shin Bet (domestic security service) in this case," he said.
On Tuesday, the heads of the yeshiva, Rabbis David Ben Natan and Yehuda Liebman, sent a letter to parents and students in which they accused the Shin Bet of cruelty to youths and of a vicious attack on their institution.The two claimed that they had fully cooperated the defense establishment, including a meeting with heads of the Jewish Department, and encouraged the students and their parents to do so, but that the Shin Bet had exploited this cooperation.
The father of one of the suspects told Ynet on Tuesday that he has no doubt that the Shin Bet was harassing the detainees.
"Let's say that some children committed an act that requires an educational response, and for this they are being tortured?," he said. "For this they have tied a child to a chair for 12-14 hours in a row and screamed into his ears? They tell him things he is incapable of hearing and break his soul? Because he scribbled on a flag?"
The father was referring to a video that the five suspects made of themselves burning the Israeli flag, which was released to the public earlier this week. Security forces also confiscated Israeli flags daubed with Nazi slogans from the home of one of the detainees.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement of support for the Shin Bet on Tuesday, in apparent answer to complaints against the agency by the families of the five minors.
"Several hours ago, we caught the murderer from Givat Assaf and Ofra," Netanyahu said, referring to the successful conclusion of a massive manhunt in the West Bank. "For this operation, I praise Yamam (Israel Police special forces), the IDF and first and foremost the Shin Bet, which is the best counter-terrorism organization of its kind in the world. We owe it a great deal, it performs professionally and morally. There is no room to attack it."
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Day after another, systematic terrorism by Israeli settlers against Palestinian citizens and their property in the occupied West Bank especially in the northern West Bank is escalating, with an official sponsorship from the Israeli government and the absence of any role for the Palestinian Authority.
The crime of burning alive the Dawabsha family in the town of Duma south of Nablus in 2015 and the murder of Aisha al-Rabi, near Za'tara checkpoint in 2018, are part of a long series of attacks and crimes committed by Israeli settlers, where the perpetrators enjoy impunity. Religious decree to protect settler terrorism |
The latest manifestation of the blatant complicity with the Israeli terrorists, according to a report by the Center for Freedom News, is the issuance of a religious decree by Jewish rabbis recently aimed at providing religious cover for the Israeli extremists who violated the sanctity of the Sabbath according to Jewish religious law, to help the perpetrators of the murder of Aisha al-Rabi.
Settlers from the settlement of Yitzhar, located in southern Nablus, traveled to the settlement of Rahalim, southeast of the city, to teach the boys at the religious institute of Beri Ha-Haaretz how to act during their interrogation following the killing of Aisha al-Rabi.
The Shabak announced that five youths from the institute were arrested on suspicion of being behind the killing of al-Rabi on Friday, October 10, after they threw stones at a car driven by her husband, which caused her a head injury and eventually led to her death.
The religious decree was part of the so-called Jewish law of ‘saving the soul,’ meaning allowing a group of ultra-extremist settlers to travel by car from Yitzhar settlement to the settlement of Rahalim on Saturday, the day after the murder of the rabbi (to protect the Jewish murderers who killed the Palestinian woman).
The group was headed by Meir Ettinger, known as the leader of an extremist group, the grandson of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, and one of the suspects of the arson attack on the Dawabsha family.
The sources revealed that the purpose of the group’s visit was to guide the suspects in the killing of al-Rabi how to act during the investigation, if arrested.
The decree was signed by a number of rabbis, including Dov Lior, Yehoshua Schmiden and Shavei Shomron, who are known for their support for Israeli terrorism.
The rabbis did not only provide religious support for those involved in the crimes and their aides but also criticized the Shabak for allegedly torturing the five young settlers.
Accomplice legal system
The developments of the case of martyr al-Rabi, a few days after the new developments in the trial of the killers of the Dawabsha family, revealed the complicity of the Israeli judiciary in covering up the killers.
At the beginning of the new year, the Israeli occupation court rejected the confession of a settler involved in the killing and burning alive of the Dawabsha family and other attacks, including the burning of a church in Jerusalem, as part of a Jewish terrorist group.
The Haaretz newspaper noted that the settler confessed his involvement in murder and arson, in addition to the destruction of property, but the court acquitted him of the charge of murder.
The court judges refused to accept the confession of the settler, after his defense team claimed that he was under severe pressure from the Shabak investigators to confess, which weakened the prosecution’s position and made them drop his conviction.
Dawabsha family
In June last year, an Israeli military court rejected the confessions of three settlers who took part in the killing of the Dawabsha family and accepted only some confessions regarding the formation of a cell for Jewish terrorism.
Unstoppable terrorism
If the crimes of the Dawabsha and al-Rabi families are so horrendous that the occupation was forced to open an investigation in order to withdraw any pretexts for an international investigation, even if the chances of punishing the murderers are weak, hundreds of crimes and attacks committed by Israeli settlers each year take place with full impunity.
In recent months, the cameras of Palestinian citizens have documented numerous attacks by settlers on the West Bank roads and at checkpoints, at the sight of Israeli soldiers, without arresting or even preventing them.
Settlers from the settlement of Yitzhar, located in southern Nablus, traveled to the settlement of Rahalim, southeast of the city, to teach the boys at the religious institute of Beri Ha-Haaretz how to act during their interrogation following the killing of Aisha al-Rabi.
The Shabak announced that five youths from the institute were arrested on suspicion of being behind the killing of al-Rabi on Friday, October 10, after they threw stones at a car driven by her husband, which caused her a head injury and eventually led to her death.
The religious decree was part of the so-called Jewish law of ‘saving the soul,’ meaning allowing a group of ultra-extremist settlers to travel by car from Yitzhar settlement to the settlement of Rahalim on Saturday, the day after the murder of the rabbi (to protect the Jewish murderers who killed the Palestinian woman).
The group was headed by Meir Ettinger, known as the leader of an extremist group, the grandson of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, and one of the suspects of the arson attack on the Dawabsha family.
The sources revealed that the purpose of the group’s visit was to guide the suspects in the killing of al-Rabi how to act during the investigation, if arrested.
The decree was signed by a number of rabbis, including Dov Lior, Yehoshua Schmiden and Shavei Shomron, who are known for their support for Israeli terrorism.
The rabbis did not only provide religious support for those involved in the crimes and their aides but also criticized the Shabak for allegedly torturing the five young settlers.
Accomplice legal system
The developments of the case of martyr al-Rabi, a few days after the new developments in the trial of the killers of the Dawabsha family, revealed the complicity of the Israeli judiciary in covering up the killers.
At the beginning of the new year, the Israeli occupation court rejected the confession of a settler involved in the killing and burning alive of the Dawabsha family and other attacks, including the burning of a church in Jerusalem, as part of a Jewish terrorist group.
The Haaretz newspaper noted that the settler confessed his involvement in murder and arson, in addition to the destruction of property, but the court acquitted him of the charge of murder.
The court judges refused to accept the confession of the settler, after his defense team claimed that he was under severe pressure from the Shabak investigators to confess, which weakened the prosecution’s position and made them drop his conviction.
Dawabsha family
In June last year, an Israeli military court rejected the confessions of three settlers who took part in the killing of the Dawabsha family and accepted only some confessions regarding the formation of a cell for Jewish terrorism.
Unstoppable terrorism
If the crimes of the Dawabsha and al-Rabi families are so horrendous that the occupation was forced to open an investigation in order to withdraw any pretexts for an international investigation, even if the chances of punishing the murderers are weak, hundreds of crimes and attacks committed by Israeli settlers each year take place with full impunity.
In recent months, the cameras of Palestinian citizens have documented numerous attacks by settlers on the West Bank roads and at checkpoints, at the sight of Israeli soldiers, without arresting or even preventing them.
8 jan 2019
Palestinians carry the body of 48-year-old mother of eight, Aisha Rabi, who died of her wounds after the car she was travelling in with her husband was hit by stones, during her funeral in the West Bank village of Bidya, near Salfit, on October 13, 2018.
Five Jewish teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a Palestinian woman in the West Bank, three months ago.
Aisha Mohammed Rabi, a 48-year-old mother from Biddya, was driving with her husband Yacoub near a West Bank checkpoint south of Nablus when the settlers began to throw stones at their vehicle. Rabi was hit in the head and died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
According to the PNN, Israeli police soon arrived at the scene and opened an investigation. Five teens have been arrested since December 30, as part of a major Jewish terrorism probe in the West Bank.
The Shin Bet internal security agency said, in its Sunday statement, that all the suspects were students at the “Pri Ha’aretz” yeshiva, in the nearby settlement of Rehelim.
A gag-order has been placed to prevent publication of more details in the investigation, including the names of the attackers.
A group of far-right Israeli activists gathered outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protest the arrests and call for his intervention on Saturday night.
Five Jewish teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a Palestinian woman in the West Bank, three months ago.
Aisha Mohammed Rabi, a 48-year-old mother from Biddya, was driving with her husband Yacoub near a West Bank checkpoint south of Nablus when the settlers began to throw stones at their vehicle. Rabi was hit in the head and died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
According to the PNN, Israeli police soon arrived at the scene and opened an investigation. Five teens have been arrested since December 30, as part of a major Jewish terrorism probe in the West Bank.
The Shin Bet internal security agency said, in its Sunday statement, that all the suspects were students at the “Pri Ha’aretz” yeshiva, in the nearby settlement of Rehelim.
A gag-order has been placed to prevent publication of more details in the investigation, including the names of the attackers.
A group of far-right Israeli activists gathered outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protest the arrests and call for his intervention on Saturday night.
7 jan 2019
Shin Bet also seizes national flag covered in swastikas, grafitti reading 'Death to the Zionists' from home of teen arrested on suspicion of causing death of Palestinian woman.
Young Israeli Jews arrested on suspicion of causing the death of a Palestinian woman filmed themselves burning the Israeli flag, according to a video published by the Shin Bet domestic security service on Sunday. The security forces also confiscated Israeli flags daubed with Nazi slogans from the home of one of the detained teenagers.
The five minors are suspected of hurling stones at a car of Palestinian woman in October, leading to her death. Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, and her husband Aykube, 52, were driving through the junction with their nine-year-old daughter, on their way back from a family wedding in Hebron, when a large rock was thrown at their car, hitting Aisha in the head and killing her.
The five Israeli teenagers arrested in the case are suspected of a series of severe terrorism offenses, including her death. They are all under the age of 18 and have not been formally charged. The flag that was taken from the home of one of the minors had "Death to the Zionists" and "This stinking flag"—alongside a drawing of a swastika—written on it.
Lawyers for the five suspects said their clients were being held in isolation in a bid by the Shin Bet in order to force false confessions. The Shin Bet dismissed claims that their interrogation methods were unethical.
"The Shin Bet acts in accordance with the law to thwart terror activity, regardless of where it originates," said the agency in a statement. “As part of the investigation into the attack, we found evidence that indicates the suspects had anti-Zionist and extremist motives … evidenced by the activity and the harsh language used by the minors to attack the State of Israel and its symbols."
"The allegations that the suspects were kidnapped by the agency are baseless," the Shin Bet said, adding that "warrants were issued by a judge before the arrest, and immediately after the teenagers’ families were informed. The suspects were not allowed to meet with their lawyers for the first six days of interrogation due to being suspected of terrorism offences."
The Shin Bet also rejected the accusation of abuse during the interrogation process, saying that anti-terrorism measures taken by the agency are standard, and applied to all terror suspects, regardless of whether they are Arab or Jewish.
"The interrogatees were held in accordance with the standard procedures, separately from adult detainees … they did not raise any concerns about their well being either with the Shin Bet medical staff or the court officials during the appeal hearings,” said the agency’s statement, adding that the suspects were provided with Kosher food and the right to observe Shabbat.
"Since the arrests began, the Shin Bet has identified an intentional and ongoing effort by interested parties to defame the agency and its personnel and delegitimize its activity. This attempt is reprehensible, and it will not dissuade the Shin Bet from continuing its activity to thwart any kind of terrorism—Jewish or Palestinian," the agency said.
Young Israeli Jews arrested on suspicion of causing the death of a Palestinian woman filmed themselves burning the Israeli flag, according to a video published by the Shin Bet domestic security service on Sunday. The security forces also confiscated Israeli flags daubed with Nazi slogans from the home of one of the detained teenagers.
The five minors are suspected of hurling stones at a car of Palestinian woman in October, leading to her death. Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, and her husband Aykube, 52, were driving through the junction with their nine-year-old daughter, on their way back from a family wedding in Hebron, when a large rock was thrown at their car, hitting Aisha in the head and killing her.
The five Israeli teenagers arrested in the case are suspected of a series of severe terrorism offenses, including her death. They are all under the age of 18 and have not been formally charged. The flag that was taken from the home of one of the minors had "Death to the Zionists" and "This stinking flag"—alongside a drawing of a swastika—written on it.
Lawyers for the five suspects said their clients were being held in isolation in a bid by the Shin Bet in order to force false confessions. The Shin Bet dismissed claims that their interrogation methods were unethical.
"The Shin Bet acts in accordance with the law to thwart terror activity, regardless of where it originates," said the agency in a statement. “As part of the investigation into the attack, we found evidence that indicates the suspects had anti-Zionist and extremist motives … evidenced by the activity and the harsh language used by the minors to attack the State of Israel and its symbols."
"The allegations that the suspects were kidnapped by the agency are baseless," the Shin Bet said, adding that "warrants were issued by a judge before the arrest, and immediately after the teenagers’ families were informed. The suspects were not allowed to meet with their lawyers for the first six days of interrogation due to being suspected of terrorism offences."
The Shin Bet also rejected the accusation of abuse during the interrogation process, saying that anti-terrorism measures taken by the agency are standard, and applied to all terror suspects, regardless of whether they are Arab or Jewish.
"The interrogatees were held in accordance with the standard procedures, separately from adult detainees … they did not raise any concerns about their well being either with the Shin Bet medical staff or the court officials during the appeal hearings,” said the agency’s statement, adding that the suspects were provided with Kosher food and the right to observe Shabbat.
"Since the arrests began, the Shin Bet has identified an intentional and ongoing effort by interested parties to defame the agency and its personnel and delegitimize its activity. This attempt is reprehensible, and it will not dissuade the Shin Bet from continuing its activity to thwart any kind of terrorism—Jewish or Palestinian," the agency said.
5 jan 2019
The Israeli Rishon Lezion courthouse, on Monday, heard the case of 3 minors suspected of a 2015 firebombing attack in Duma village, southeast of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The terrorist attack, in which right-wing Israeli extremists set fire to the Dawabsha family home, by throwing a firebomb inside, resulted in the death of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha. The fire also severely injured the baby’s 4-year-old brother Ahmad, and his mother and father, both of whom later died, leaving only Ahmad.
The words ‘price tag’ were spray-painted, in Hebrew, on the home of Sa’ad and Reham Dawabsha, which is a common phrase used by Israeli extremists to intimidate Palestinians, implying that the attacks are the price which they, the Palestinians, must pay to exist.
20 Israeli extremists, in support of the suspects, became violent with police outside the courthouse, resulting in some of the extremists being thrown to the ground and detained by police, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Israeli attacks against Palestinians almost doubled in 2018, as compared to 2017. Additionally, there have been a number of these so-called ‘price-tag’ vandalism incidents that remain unsolved.
One such savage attack in particular was the October 12, 2018 stoning death of 47-year -old Palestinian mother Aisha Mohammad al-Rabi, in which Israeli settlers threw a number of large rocks at her car, smashing the windshield and hitting Aisha in the cheek and ear, killing her almost instantly.
Aisha, who had just completed her university education before she was killed, is survived by her husband and 8 children, the youngest of whom is 8 years.
The terrorist attack, in which right-wing Israeli extremists set fire to the Dawabsha family home, by throwing a firebomb inside, resulted in the death of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha. The fire also severely injured the baby’s 4-year-old brother Ahmad, and his mother and father, both of whom later died, leaving only Ahmad.
The words ‘price tag’ were spray-painted, in Hebrew, on the home of Sa’ad and Reham Dawabsha, which is a common phrase used by Israeli extremists to intimidate Palestinians, implying that the attacks are the price which they, the Palestinians, must pay to exist.
20 Israeli extremists, in support of the suspects, became violent with police outside the courthouse, resulting in some of the extremists being thrown to the ground and detained by police, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Israeli attacks against Palestinians almost doubled in 2018, as compared to 2017. Additionally, there have been a number of these so-called ‘price-tag’ vandalism incidents that remain unsolved.
One such savage attack in particular was the October 12, 2018 stoning death of 47-year -old Palestinian mother Aisha Mohammad al-Rabi, in which Israeli settlers threw a number of large rocks at her car, smashing the windshield and hitting Aisha in the cheek and ear, killing her almost instantly.
Aisha, who had just completed her university education before she was killed, is survived by her husband and 8 children, the youngest of whom is 8 years.
30 dec 2018
Aisha al-Rawbi and her husband
Details of case largely under gag order; security services have carried out numerous raids ongoing battle against Jewish hate crimes in the territories
Israeli security forces on Sunday arrested at least two Jewish youths in the West Bank, as part of a far-reaching investigation into Jewish terrorism. A gag order has been placed on details of the investigation.
The Israel Police and the Shin Bet domestic security service have in recent weeks carried out numerous raids across Jewish communities in the West Bank, which led to the detention of the two minors on Sunday. The Times of Israel said that the two were detained at a yeshiva in the northern West Bank and have been prevented from seeing a lawyer.
Also Sunday, far-right attorney Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his prior defense of Jewish terror suspects, issued a statement condemning the security forces' handling of the investigation. Ben Gvir is the lawyer for another Israeli youth who was arrested earlier Sunday.
"Over the past week, we've witnessed horrible footage of policemen abusing, hurting, starving, threatening and manipulating a minor in order to get a confession out of him," Ben Gvir said. "Issuing an order prohibiting a minor from seeing his lawyer is meant to increase the pressure on him and the abuse he is experiencing."
Six weeks ago, two masked men vandalized 15 vehicles in the Palestinian village of Asira al-Qibliya near Nablus, spray-painting malicious graffiti on the homes and vehicles there.
Furthermore, tires of some 13 vehicles were punctured in the adjacent town of Huwara. The Palestinians residing there said a hateful writing saying "Yitzhar evacuation equals price tag" was sprayed on a school wall.
In October, Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, from the village of Biddya in the West Bank, was killed after settlers reportedly hurled stones at a vehicle she and her husband were riding in near the Tapuach junction. Her husband was also wounded.
Details of case largely under gag order; security services have carried out numerous raids ongoing battle against Jewish hate crimes in the territories
Israeli security forces on Sunday arrested at least two Jewish youths in the West Bank, as part of a far-reaching investigation into Jewish terrorism. A gag order has been placed on details of the investigation.
The Israel Police and the Shin Bet domestic security service have in recent weeks carried out numerous raids across Jewish communities in the West Bank, which led to the detention of the two minors on Sunday. The Times of Israel said that the two were detained at a yeshiva in the northern West Bank and have been prevented from seeing a lawyer.
Also Sunday, far-right attorney Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his prior defense of Jewish terror suspects, issued a statement condemning the security forces' handling of the investigation. Ben Gvir is the lawyer for another Israeli youth who was arrested earlier Sunday.
"Over the past week, we've witnessed horrible footage of policemen abusing, hurting, starving, threatening and manipulating a minor in order to get a confession out of him," Ben Gvir said. "Issuing an order prohibiting a minor from seeing his lawyer is meant to increase the pressure on him and the abuse he is experiencing."
Six weeks ago, two masked men vandalized 15 vehicles in the Palestinian village of Asira al-Qibliya near Nablus, spray-painting malicious graffiti on the homes and vehicles there.
Furthermore, tires of some 13 vehicles were punctured in the adjacent town of Huwara. The Palestinians residing there said a hateful writing saying "Yitzhar evacuation equals price tag" was sprayed on a school wall.
In October, Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, from the village of Biddya in the West Bank, was killed after settlers reportedly hurled stones at a vehicle she and her husband were riding in near the Tapuach junction. Her husband was also wounded.
23 oct 2018
The Israel Security Service, Shin Bet, has cancelled Israeli work permits for the husband and brothers of Aisha al-Rabi, a Palestinian woman who was killed by Israeli settlers over a week ago.
Yacoub al-Rabi, Aisha's husband, on Tuesday said that Aisha's brother last week was stopped at El checkpoint near Qalqilya and told that he is not allowed to enter the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories based on Shin Bet instructions despite the fact that the work permit he has is valid until January.
"They destroyed my life. They destroyed my job," al-Rabi added, expressing surprise that, despite being the victims, they were the ones punished instead of the settlers responsible for the attack.
Aisha al-Rabi, a mother of eight, was killed on 12 October after Israeli settlers hurled rocks at her vehicle at a crossroad near Nablus.
Yacoub al-Rabi, Aisha's husband, on Tuesday said that Aisha's brother last week was stopped at El checkpoint near Qalqilya and told that he is not allowed to enter the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories based on Shin Bet instructions despite the fact that the work permit he has is valid until January.
"They destroyed my life. They destroyed my job," al-Rabi added, expressing surprise that, despite being the victims, they were the ones punished instead of the settlers responsible for the attack.
Aisha al-Rabi, a mother of eight, was killed on 12 October after Israeli settlers hurled rocks at her vehicle at a crossroad near Nablus.
17 oct 2018
In 2015, Israel approved a law that stipulated a 20 year prison sentence for individuals caught throwing stones.
The intention was to target Palestinians involved in resistance activities, despite the discrepancies between armed Jewish Israeli settlers and Palestinians in terms of weapons available for them to use.
“Tolerance towards terrorists ends today,” commented Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. “A stone thrower is a terrorist and only a fitting punishment can serve as a deterrent and just punishment.”
Yet despite claiming that Palestinians who throw stones during clashes “provoke” unwarranted violence, stone throwing by Jewish Israeli settler-colonists has many precedents and victims, and is usually overlooked. The latest Palestinian victim of Jewish stone-throwers was Aisha Al-Rabi who was killed last Friday while on her way home in the car. Settlers hurled stones at the family car, killing Aisha and injuring her husband Yacoub.
Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin described the killing and subsequent attachment of blame to Jewish settlers as “a scrap of an incident”. He added, “It is quite galling that it takes an incident like this in relation to a Palestinian vehicle for it [stone throwing] to be raised on the agenda.”
In fact, B’Tselem has documented many instances of settler-colonial violence, including stone throwing by extremist Jews on many occasions. The Israeli rights group has pointed out that there is an absence of law enforcement in such cases.
The Israeli media gives priority to detailing clashes between stone-throwing settlers and the Israeli military, which usually end in a tally of those injured and a notification of temporary arrest. There is an explicit difference in punishment and media portrayal between settler violence and Palestinian resistance. The former is exempt from punishment, whether the violence is directed against Palestinians or the Israeli military; the latter, meanwhile, is criminalized.
Al-Rabi’s case crossed a red line as regards media coverage due to settlers causing her death by stone throwing, hence the need for her murder to be downplayed by Levin. His comments indicate that close scrutiny of Jewish Israeli settler stone throwers is unacceptable to right-wing politicians, particularly when the victim, who was killed, is a Palestinian.
However, if the context is taken into consideration, it is clear that the Israeli state has manufactured a culture of impunity for stone throwing (and other) crimes by its settler population. This precise bequeathing of impunity is evidence of the colonial state’s dependence upon its settlers, no matter that they live in illegal settlements, to preserve its existence.
While condemning the murder, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov failed to address settler stone throwing, focusing instead upon the attack as creating “a new cycle of violence that would further undermine the prospects of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.” This was not, however, a “new cycle of violence”; to describe the crime thus is to absolve the Israeli colonial state and its settlers of embracing stone throwing as the means to terrorize Palestinians merely for being the indigenous inhabitants of historic Palestine.
Palestinian stone throwers, facing heavily armed settlers and the military, face harsh sentences and at times even extrajudicial murder for daring to resist the colonial violence endorsed by Israel. Al-Rabi’s killing was an unprovoked terror attack. Will Shaked’s misplaced words, directed against Palestinians, be fully invoked against Jewish Israeli settler stone throwers when, as in this case, the end result is murder? Or will it be yet another examples of excuses, excuses but no justice from Israel’s Justice Minister?
- Ramona Wadi is an independent researcher, freelance journalist, book reviewer and blogger. Her writing covers a range of themes in relation to Palestine, Chile and Latin America. Her article appeared in MEMO.
The intention was to target Palestinians involved in resistance activities, despite the discrepancies between armed Jewish Israeli settlers and Palestinians in terms of weapons available for them to use.
“Tolerance towards terrorists ends today,” commented Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. “A stone thrower is a terrorist and only a fitting punishment can serve as a deterrent and just punishment.”
Yet despite claiming that Palestinians who throw stones during clashes “provoke” unwarranted violence, stone throwing by Jewish Israeli settler-colonists has many precedents and victims, and is usually overlooked. The latest Palestinian victim of Jewish stone-throwers was Aisha Al-Rabi who was killed last Friday while on her way home in the car. Settlers hurled stones at the family car, killing Aisha and injuring her husband Yacoub.
Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin described the killing and subsequent attachment of blame to Jewish settlers as “a scrap of an incident”. He added, “It is quite galling that it takes an incident like this in relation to a Palestinian vehicle for it [stone throwing] to be raised on the agenda.”
In fact, B’Tselem has documented many instances of settler-colonial violence, including stone throwing by extremist Jews on many occasions. The Israeli rights group has pointed out that there is an absence of law enforcement in such cases.
The Israeli media gives priority to detailing clashes between stone-throwing settlers and the Israeli military, which usually end in a tally of those injured and a notification of temporary arrest. There is an explicit difference in punishment and media portrayal between settler violence and Palestinian resistance. The former is exempt from punishment, whether the violence is directed against Palestinians or the Israeli military; the latter, meanwhile, is criminalized.
Al-Rabi’s case crossed a red line as regards media coverage due to settlers causing her death by stone throwing, hence the need for her murder to be downplayed by Levin. His comments indicate that close scrutiny of Jewish Israeli settler stone throwers is unacceptable to right-wing politicians, particularly when the victim, who was killed, is a Palestinian.
However, if the context is taken into consideration, it is clear that the Israeli state has manufactured a culture of impunity for stone throwing (and other) crimes by its settler population. This precise bequeathing of impunity is evidence of the colonial state’s dependence upon its settlers, no matter that they live in illegal settlements, to preserve its existence.
While condemning the murder, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov failed to address settler stone throwing, focusing instead upon the attack as creating “a new cycle of violence that would further undermine the prospects of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.” This was not, however, a “new cycle of violence”; to describe the crime thus is to absolve the Israeli colonial state and its settlers of embracing stone throwing as the means to terrorize Palestinians merely for being the indigenous inhabitants of historic Palestine.
Palestinian stone throwers, facing heavily armed settlers and the military, face harsh sentences and at times even extrajudicial murder for daring to resist the colonial violence endorsed by Israel. Al-Rabi’s killing was an unprovoked terror attack. Will Shaked’s misplaced words, directed against Palestinians, be fully invoked against Jewish Israeli settler stone throwers when, as in this case, the end result is murder? Or will it be yet another examples of excuses, excuses but no justice from Israel’s Justice Minister?
- Ramona Wadi is an independent researcher, freelance journalist, book reviewer and blogger. Her writing covers a range of themes in relation to Palestine, Chile and Latin America. Her article appeared in MEMO.
16 oct 2018
France on Tuesday condemned the killing of Aisha al-Rabi, 48, at the hands of Israeli settlers near Nablus city on Friday.
France in a statement extended condolences to the family and relatives of the slain Palestinian.
French Consulate in Jerusalem said in a press statement that "violence will not be accepted".
Al-Rabi was killed on Friday evening after a group of Israeli settlers attacked her and her husband by throwing stones at their vehicle near Huwara checkpoint in Nablus.
France in a statement extended condolences to the family and relatives of the slain Palestinian.
French Consulate in Jerusalem said in a press statement that "violence will not be accepted".
Al-Rabi was killed on Friday evening after a group of Israeli settlers attacked her and her husband by throwing stones at their vehicle near Huwara checkpoint in Nablus.
