510 Arrests Among Palestinians, 47 Israeli Violations Against Journalists Last Month

The Journalist Support Committee (JSC) said that Israel’s military and security forces committed 47 violations against journalists and media workers during July 2016.

In a recent report, the JSC said that the Israeli army and police arrested eight Palestinian journalists from Jerusalem, Qalqilya and Ramallah, and released most of them later during the month. The Israeli authorities also extended the detention of journalist Adib al-Attrash and postponed the trial of another one called Samah Duweik.

According to the report, an administratively detained journalist named Malik al-Qadi was reportedly exposed to torture and maltreatment in an Israeli jail, which prompted him to go on hunger strike Other violations against journalists during the reporting month included raids on homes, confiscation of cars and cameras, assaults, harassment, banishment orders and removal of Facebook pages.

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On the other hand, Riyad al-Ashqar, a researcher concerned with prisoners’ affairs, documented 510 arrests among Palestinians at the hands of Israeli occupation forces during last month. The arrests included 75 children, 21 women, and 18 detainees from Gaza including 13 fishermen. The report pointed out that Israeli courts issued 94 administrative detention orders against 28 new prisoners and 56 extension orders of administrative detention for 2-6-month periods.

Most of the orders, 37, were issued against captives from al-Khalil. Ashqar revealed that Israeli courts last month issued life sentences against two prisoners: Ragheb Elaiwi, from Nablus, and Raed Khalil from Hebron.
This brought the number of prisoners who are serving life sentences to 491. The Israeli prison service carried out arbitrary transfer operations and stormed many sections and rooms especially in Nafha and Raymon jails. Electric appliances of prisoners were also confiscated and some sections were turned into isolation places. 100 Prisoners, most prominent the secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Ahmad Saadat, are going on hunger strike in solidarity with striking captives, Ashqar said.