Israel fears media spotlight: Father of resistor Tamimi

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel will conduct the trial of 16-year-old Ahed al-Tamimi behind closed doors “to avoid unwanted media attention”, Ahed’s father, Basem al-Tamimi, said Tuesday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency before Ahed’s trial was set to begin at the Ofer military court, Basem said Israel was “deeply disturbed” by the international media attention his daughter had continued to draw.

Israeli soldiers arrested Ahed from her home in Ramallah in January of last year. When her mother went to the authorities seeking information about her arrested daughter, she too was detained.

Ahed stands accused of "attacking" Israeli soldiers after a video went viral online showing her slapping an Israeli soldier who had trespassed into her family’s backyard.

Ahed’s cousin, Nur, who can also be seen in the video, was also later detained.

According to Basem, the last time his daughter and wife appeared in court was on Feb. 13. Israel, he said, fearing the media attention the case was generating, had already postponed two separate court hearings.

“These trials are a farce anyway; you cannot expect them to provide any justice,” he said.

“They [the Israeli authorities] have been embarrassed by all the media attention,” he added, “hence their decision to close the trial to media.”

In 2012, Istanbul’s Basaksehir Municipality granted Ahed the prestigious Hanzala Courage Award for defying Israeli soldiers who had just arrested her brother.

She also met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had been serving as prime minister at the time.