Israel has detained and questioned the Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs, Israeli police have said.
Palestine‘s Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Fadi al-Hadami was detained for “activities in Jerusalem”, Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld told AFP on Sunday.
Israeli police Sunday released from custody the Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs after questioning him over claims he organised activities in the city in violation of Israeli rules, his lawyer said. https://t.co/DouUYihiAV
— The Arab Weekly (@ArabWeekly) June 30, 2019
Israeli police released Al-Hadami today, shortly after being detained, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
Palestinian media reported that Israeli police had arrested al-Hadami from his home in Jerusalem in the early hours of Sunday morning, after searching the premises.
The arrest of the Palestinian Minister by the Israeli forces https://t.co/dQNrZWzWtb pic.twitter.com/dZ9Xf5yVHF
— En24 News (@En24News) June 30, 2019
The sources said five other Palestinian men were also arrested on Sunday, from areas across Jerusalem, Bethlehem and south of Hebron (Al-Khalil) in the occupied West Bank.
The detainees identified by Palestinian media included Haydar and Alaa Dirbas who were arrested at the Maqasid Hospital in Occupied East Jerusalem and Ihab Saeed who was arrested from his village near Jerusalem.
Israeli occupation forces carry out large scale arrests this morning in the holy city of Jerusalem as demonstrations broke out following the murder of a young Palestinian man.#IsraeliCrimes pic.twitter.com/DcE9LbSd3u
— Jusoor for Int'l Communication (@JIC_PAL) June 29, 2019
The Israeli authorities did not comment on why the men were arrested.
A source close to the minister told AFP that al-Hadami’s arrest is likely linked to his accompanying of Chile‘s president during a visit to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound a few days ago.
Israeli police arrest Palestinian authority minister of #Jerusalem Affairs, reports say https://t.co/JcBLw4xhEk pic.twitter.com/sEz0hW1Zlz
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) June 30, 2019
On Tuesday, al-Hadami was seen alongside Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on a tour of the flashpoint holy site, enraging Israel, which said it constituted a violation of regulations and a breach of understandings reached with Santiago for the head of state’s visit.
Commenting on the visit, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Wednesday that the government “takes seriously any infringement of Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount, especially one that violates an agreed-upon procedure.
#Israel Censures #Chile President for Visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque https://t.co/bh4rTO9TJA @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/YMT4IWZDa5
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) June 26, 2019
Israeli media reported that the ministry received a formal letter from the Chilean Embassy later that day, explaining that Pinera’s visit to the Al-Aqsa compound had been a private one.
The arrests follow days of unrest in Jerusalem after Israeli police shot and killed a 20-year-old Palestinian on Thursday, in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya.
The young man, identified as Mohammed Obeid, died of his wounds, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israeli authorities said they shot Obeid after he allegedly threw fireworks at them.
(Al Jazeera, PC, Social Media)
