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.
