Israeli court extends detention of Palestinian teen

By Qais Abu Samra and Said Amouri

RAMALLAH (AA) – An Israeli court has extended until Monday the detention of a teenage Palestinian girl who was awarded by Turkey for her bravery, according to her father.

Ahed al-Tamimi and her mother were detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on Tuesday.

Israeli forces also detained a relative of the Palestinian girl during a raid on her home in the village on Wednesday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Bassem al-Tamimi said the Ofer military court has approved a request by Israeli prosecutors to extend his daughter’s custody until Monday.

“I was not allowed to speak with her, but she looked to be in high spirits,” he said.

He said the 16-year-old girl was transferred to the Hasharoun prison in northern Israel after the court hearing.

According to the father, Ahed’s mother will appear before the court on Thursday to look into extending her detention.

Bassem said he has been summoned by the Israeli intelligence service for interrogation.

According to Palestinian media, Ahed and her relative face charges of assaulting Israeli soldiers, while the mother faces charges of “incitement”.

-Honored in 2012

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

At the time, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (now president) and his wife met the Palestinian girl to convey their admiration for her bravery.

Ahed’s father, mother, and brothers have all been repeatedly arrested for their fierce opposition to Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land.

On Tuesday, Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s hardline defense minister, said the Palestinian teenager would not be the only one to bear the consequences of her actions.

"Everyone around her -- not only the girl, but also her relatives -- will not escape what they deserve," Lieberman said at a meeting with Jewish community leaders near the border with the Gaza Strip.

Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories since U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Dec. 6, sparking protests and condemnation across the Arab and Muslim world.

Since then, 11 Palestinians have been martyred -- and over 3,000 injured -- in clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

According to official Palestinian figures, more than 6,400 Palestinians -- including a number of children -- are currently languishing in Israeli prisons.