Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank arrested Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi on Monday, accusing her of inciting violence. However, Tamimi’s mother denied the claim, stating that it was based on a fake Instagram post. The 22-year-old Tamimi gained recognition in 2017 when, at the age of 16, she slapped an Israeli soldier who had raided her village. She, along with others, has long been protesting against Israeli land seizures.
According to the Israeli military, Tamimi is suspected of inciting violence and advocating for terrorist activities. However, her mother, Nariman Tamimi, countered these allegations, asserting that her daughter does not have an Instagram account. Nariman Tamimi explained that Israeli soldiers entered their house overnight and arrested her daughter.
Israeli authorities alleged that Ahed Tamimi “wrote an inciting (Instagram) post calling for the killing of settlers and saying what Hitler did wasn’t enough.” However, the authenticity of the Instagram account with Tamimi’s name and picture, which had the handle “ahed_tamimi15,” could not be independently verified by Reuters.
Following her action of slapping a soldier, Tamimi pleaded guilty to reduced charges, including assault, and was sentenced to eight months in prison. She is among the hundreds of individuals who have been detained in the region amidst the recent surge in violence between Israel and Gaza militants.
Israel has stated that its arrests in the West Bank are aimed at preventing attacks, as it carries out a ground assault against Gaza’s Hamas militants following a deadly rampage by the group on October 7. The West Bank has also witnessed an escalation in violence, with regular clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians. UN figures reveal that since October 7, Israeli forces have killed at least 141 Palestinians, including 43 children.
Reporting from Nabi Saleh in the West Bank, Ismael Khader; Writing by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Cynthia Osterman.
