Ahed Tamimi: Palestinian Teenager In Confrontation With Israeli Soldiers That Went Viral Is Arrested In Raid
An Israeli military court has charged Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi with five counts of assaulting security forces after a video of her confrontation with Israeli soldiers went viral. Tamimi, 16, has become an international symbol of opposition to the state of Israel and its presence in the West Bank.
The latest incident, which occurred on December 15, appears to depict Ahed Tamimi slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers stationed near her house. The soldiers remain calm during the ordeal, however. Four days later, the Israeli Defense Forces, as the army is called, and police arrested Tamimi in a predawn raid on her residence in the village of Nabi Saleh. Her mother and a cousin, who were also allegedly part of the scuffle in the video, were subsequently arrested.
“Tamimi was indicted for throwing rocks, threatening soldiers and incitement to violence,” the Jerusalem Post noted about the arrest that made worldwide headlines. Ahed Tamimi, who apparently has acquired the nickname “Shirley Temper” because of her brand of activism, is still in custody as of this writing. She faces 12 charges overall, which incorporates the December incident and previous episodes of civil disobedience.
In the Ramallah-based Ofer military court, Tamimi’s mother was charged with incitement on social media as a result of uploading the footage, as well as assault. Army prosecutors charged her cousin, 20, with assault against a soldier and interfering with a soldier who is carrying out his duties, Haaretz added.
Nabi Saleh is the scene of regular clashes between rock-throwing demonstrators and Israeli soldiers. Israeli troops reportedly shot Tamimi’s male cousin with a rubber bullet prior to the confrontation in the viral video that was streamed on Facebook Live.
Ahed Tamimi indicted on 12 counts for attacking, slapping #IDF soldier and previous incidents. @ShaiBenari @calev_i24 @NuritBen pic.twitter.com/mvCiFpfokl
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) January 1, 2018
Ahed Tamimi told the judge at the court hearing that she reacted to the soldiers outside of her residence because they were allegedly the same ones who shot her cousin, the Times of Israel explained.
With ubiquitous cell phone cameras plus news photographers shadowing the IDF in the West Bank, Israeli soldiers know that if they respond to any provocations, the footage will immediately show up on CNN and across social media to be used for propaganda purposes.
“Tamimi’s father argues that her blonde hair and Western dress have contributed to the attention she has received,” Arab News claimed about Ahed Tamimi.
Israel charges Palestinian teen activist Ahed Tamimi with 12 counts https://t.co/0UeTwT4pNe pic.twitter.com/UJLRbyrGVo
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) January 1, 2018
According to the Legal Insurrection website, Ahed Tamimi has a well-publicized history of aggressively confronting soldiers with the encouragement of her activist family since she was a youngster.
“Ahed Tamimi is the Palestinian teen who has become an international anti-Israel star because since early childhood she has been used by her parents and Western [Boycott, Disinvest, and Sanction] supporters to attack Israeli police and soldier[s] for the cameras.”
Watch the viral video of Ahed Tamimi in the December confrontation with the Israeli soldiers as well as one that occurred about five years ago as embedded below.
