Ofer - Holding and trading of combat materiel, Knives

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Nitza Aminov (reporting)
16/03/2016
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Translation: Marganit W.

 

“Bab-el-Wad, remember our names…Dawn is breaking over Beit-Mahsir”

 

When I was a little girl, Haim Guri’s song was an integral part of every memorial ceremony. As I grew older, as part of my political evolution, I learned about the Naqba, the destruction of Arab villages and the expulsion of the Palestinians.

 

When talking with Palestinians in the courtyard, I often ask them if they are refugees, and if so, where they come from. Today I spoke with people from Al-Hader. They told me that until 1948 they had lived in Beit-Mahsir. They were surprised to learn that I knew where the village was. From Beit-Mahsir they moved to Al-Hader, where they bought land. Of course, some of this land was taken away from them to build settlements.

 

Palestinians from Beit Anan told me that until 1948 they lived in Zakarya. After the expulsion they settled in Beit Anan and bought land there. They said they had a deed for 500 dunams, most of which, again, was confiscated for building settlements and the separation wall.

 

I wanted to attend the hearing of Dalal Al Kamari, a 23-year old woman from Yatta, who has been in jail since 23.12.15.

I spoke to her brother, but I was unable to attend the hearing. I knew that she was represented by Atty. Ihab Galid. It turned out that the arraignment had already taken place, so according to Nadi-Al-Assir [the Prisoner’s Club] rule, she was represented by Atty. Ibrahim Al-Araj.

At any rate, I was able to learn that the next hearing would be on 6.4.16.

 

In the yard I met the father and uncle of Aisha Jamhur from Beit-Anan. Aisha is an 18-year old girl studying for the Tahujihi Exams (Palestinian matriculation). She was arrested at Qalandiya Checkpoint with (what else?) a knife in her bag. It was a remand extension hearing.

 

Judge: Lieut. Col Azriel Levi

Prosecutor: Police officer Kfir Whitman

Defense: Atty. Nasser Nubani

Detainee: Aisha Wafiq Muhammad Jamhur, ID 402636716 - Case 1536/16

 

The prosecutor requested a 7-day extension to complete the indictment.

The usual phrases were heard: attack, knives, risk.

The judge accepted the prosecution’s motion and the detention was extended until 22.3.16.

In the remand extension hall, Justice Azriel Levi handed down bails for sums I had not encountered before. He had many reservations about evidence cited by the prosecution.

Here is an example:

Detainee: Mahdi George Matri Abdullah, ID 901189729 - Case 2745/16

Defense: Atty. Ismail Taweel

 

Abdullah owns a lathe shop in Bir Zeit. The prosecution requested remand extension until the conclusion of the legal proceedings because the prosecution has a witness who claims that Mahdi traded in arms TEN YEARS AGO.

In addition, Witness No. 6 claims he heard from Witness No. 3 that the latter had bought weapons from the detainee.

Despite the weak evidence, the prosecutor maintained that “those corroborating testimonies need to be examined in court.”

The judge disagreed, stating that “the alleged testimonies are either hearsay or refer to a period that is irrelevant to the present charges and therefore cannot corroborate them.”

An arraignment hearing was set for 19.4.16

However, the conditions for bail were particularly harsh: 10,000-shekel deposit and two guarantors 15.000-shekel each by people who are either Israeli citizens or residents.