Israel arrests Italians who painted mural of Palestinian teen

Italian artist Jorit Agoch paints a mural depicting jailed Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi on Israel's controversial separation barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on July 25,2018

Israeli forces have arrested two Italians for drawing a giant mural of a Palestinian teenager seen as a symbol of resistance on the separation wall in the occupied West Bank, police said.

The roughly four-metre (13 foot) image near Bethlehem in the West Bank depicts Ahed Tamimi, 17, who was released from prison Sunday after an eight-month sentence for slapping two Israeli soldiers, an episode captured on video.

On Saturday, Israeli border police arrested two Italians and a Palestinian "on suspicion of damaging and vandalising the security fence in the Bethlehem area," a statement said.

The three, whose faces were masked, "illegally drew on the wall, and when border policemen took action to arrest them, they tried to escape in their car, which was stopped by the forces," the statement said.

On Wednesday, a man drawing the mural had identified himself as Italian street artist Jorit Agoch.

A message was posted to a Facebook page under his name saying he had been arrested and pleading for help.

On Sunday morning the three were still being held by Israeli forces.

At the same time, Tamimi and her mother Nariman were taken from the Sharon prison inside Israel to their home village of Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank after serving their sentences.

Palestinians see Tamimi as a symbol of resistance to Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

For Israelis, Tamimi is being used by her activist family as a pawn in staged provocations.

The separation wall cutting the West Bank off from Israel is filled with graffiti in support of the Palestinian cause.

Secretive British street artist Banksy is among those who have painted on the wall.

Comments

Boat with 300 migrants arrives in Spain after week at sea

A charity rescue vessel carrying mainly African migrants plucked off Libya docked in Spain, ending a traumatic journey which saw them spending Christmas at sea and several European nations denied the ship entry. Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea on December 21, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, December A Spanish aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea arrived in Spain on Friday, ending a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean. The boat, operated by the nonprofit group Proactiva Open Arms, docked at the Spanish port of Algeciras. The boat rescued 313 migrants in waters near Libya last week, but had to travel to Spain after Malta denied it permission to dock and Italy and other countries refused to help. Three of the migrants were later evacuated for health reasons. Oscar Camps, head of Proactiva Ope

African Politicians Seeking Medical Help Abroad Is Shameful, and Harms Health Care

Credit: Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong, University of Bath Photo: Allafrica.com Top-left: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. Top-right: Former president of Zamiba Levy Mwanawasa. Bottom-left: Former Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi. Bottom-right: Former Guinea-Bissau president Malam Bacai Sanhá ANALYSIS By Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong, University of Bath There is an African idiom that if a man does not eat at home, he may never give his wife enough money to cook a good pot of soup. This might just be true when applied to politicians on the continent seeking medical help anywhere but home. Africa's public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preventable diseases still kill a large number of women and children , people travel long distances to receive health care, and across the continent, patients sleep on hospital floors . On top of this, Africa's health profession

Carthy calls on Coveney to intervene in case of Hunger-striking refugees in Greece

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney to urgently intervene in the case of asylum seekers in Greece who have been on hunger strike for over a month. Bahrooz Arash, and Kozhin Hussein are demanding an end to arbitrary imprisonment and inhumane treatment including psychological and physical abuse of refugees in Moria detention centre. Matt Carthy said: “I have contacted the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Irish Embassy in Greece and Christos Stylianides EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis regarding the disturbing case of asylum seekers in Greece who have been on hunger strike for over a month now. “The Hunger strikers are seeking an end to arbitrary imprisonment and inhumane treatment including psychological and physical abuse of refugees in Moria detention centre. “Bahrooz Arash is now in a particularly bad condition having lost 16kgs since his hunger strike began. “Despite medical opinion th

Mcthomas updates

Search This Blog