Israeli forces, Monday, once again abducted the coordinator for the Youth Against Settlements (YAS) movement, Issa Amr, after storming the commission’s headquarters in Hebron’s Old City district.Mohammad Azghir, a spokesman for YAS, told the PNN that forces took Issa Amr after storming the organization’s property; he was accused of incitement against Israel.
According to Azghir, Amr’s arrest indicates the military’s intentional target on Palestinian popular resistance and its activists in Hebron, especially after the Open Al-Shuhada Street Campaign.
He also pointed out that the growing partnership between YAS and international organizations are “infuriating the occupation and some Israeli politicians”, once that by abducting Amr again, the army expects to intimidate other activists, and to discourage them from continuing their activities, especially in Hebron.
On Friday, tens of Palestinians and solidarity activists have been injured as Israeli forces suppressed the annual protest to open the Al-Shuhada Street, and revive the 22nd anniversary for the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre in Hebron.The protest, organized by YAS, had hundreds of participants which included local and international journalists, activists and representatives.
The demonstration called on Israeli authorities to open Al-Shuhada street in central Hebron, to allow Palestinians free access, reopen its closed shops, and evacuate Israeli settlers from the area.
The non-violent protest was attacked by Israeli soldiers who fired teargas grenades and sound bombs towards the activists.
Issa Amr said, on Friday, that the soldiers have brutally assaulted lawyer, activist and Chairman of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Bethlehem, Farid Al-Atrash, in addition to the cameraman for Wattan TV, Mustafa Jaradat, taking them to Jaabara police center near the Kiryat Arba settlement.
The local activist group has constantly been targeted by Israeli forces for their non-violent resistance to the Israeli occupation.
In the end of 2015, the army took over the Center for military use, destroying their media equipment. Settlers have repeatedly attacked group members and wrongfully accused them of crimes.
Back in November, Issa Amr was arrested under the accusation of ‘disturbing the soldiers’ and ‘hiding a terrorist in his house’. Amr was detained in a bathroom for more than four hours, with his hands cuffed behind his back, eyes blindfolded. He was interrogated at length before being released.
In December, Israeli forces threatened to close down the YAS headquarters in Tel-Rumeida, central Hebron. Back then, Issa Amr said that the threats came in light of military expansion efforts in Tel-Rumeida, which aim to seize Bait Al-Sumood at street level, under constant pressures from settlers in the area.
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