חשיפה: הוגש כתב אישום תחת צא”פ נגד פעיל התנועה האיסלאמית פיראס אל-עומארי
Following up an earlier post I wrote about the arrests of leaders of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, a Palestinian Muslim group involved in religious and social welfare projects throughout Israel. The Shin Bet has engaged in a years’ long vendetta against the group and its charismatic leader, Sheikh Raed Salah. In 2015, it outlawed it and threw Salah in prison.
Despite the fact, that the leaders of the group have moved on to different community NGOs and projects, the security apparatus sees any form of Islamic activism as an extension of the outlawed group. Agbaria’s ‘sin’ was offering welfare assistance for East Jerusalem families in need. In 2009, the secret police forbade him from going on hajj to Saudi Arabia. Somehow a religious pilgrimage was supposed to “endanger national security.” Which seems odd now that the Saudis are Israel’s new best friends in the fight against Iran. Can you imagine the Shin Bet prohibiting a settler or even Meir Kahane from visiting the Kotel? Never happen.
Yesterday, an Israeli court indicted al-Omary as well. But the charges are under Israeli gag order and I don’t know what they are. The indictment as well is under gag order. But I’m reporting it as it was confirmed by an Israeli security source.
In the earlier post I named the detainees I knew at the time: Suleiman Agbaria and Firas al-Omary. An Israeli Facebook Friend informs me that there are seven arrestees now. The new names I know are: Omar Grifat (56) and Mahmoud Jabarin (31). Grifat was released after nine days in prison.
The family of Dr. Agbaria announced he began a hunger strike on April 9th. Yesterday, 1,000 protesters gathered to support the Palestinian political detainees on hunger strike.
