Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 30 July 2018

After prison release, Palestinian teen considers law study

By MOHAMMED DARAGH- Israel's West Bank separa-
MEH tion barrier ahead of her
Associated Press release.
NABI SALEH, West Bank (AP) Israeli police said they were
— Palestinian teen Ahed caught in the act along
Tamimi, who became an with another Palestinian
international symbol of and arrested for vandal-
resistance to Israeli occu- ism. On Sunday, Israel can-
pation after slapping two celed the visas of the two
soldiers, walked out of an Italians and ordered them
Israeli prison Sunday and to leave the country within
told throngs of journalists three days, police said.
and well-wishers that she Ahed and her mother Nari-
now wants to study law to man — also arrested in De-
defend her people. cember in connection with
The curly haired 17-year- the same incident — were
old said that "resistance released Sunday morning
continues until the occu- from a prison in northern
pation is removed," but Israel. They were driven by
refrained from saying she bus to the West Bank and
would slap soldiers again. were given a hero's wel-
The teen, who is on proba- come in Nabi Saleh.
tion, said her eight months Ahed Tamimi speaks sitting between her father Bassam and mother Nariman during press "The resistance continues
in prison were tough and conference on outskirts of the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, July 29, 2018. until the occupation is re-
helped her appreciate life. Associated Press moved," Ahed said upon
At an outdoor news con- her return. "All the female
ference near her family In Israel, she is seen by many hu came to power in 2009. In this context, the idea prisoners are steadfast. I
home, she spoke against either as a provocateur, an Palestinian President Mah- of so-called popular resis- salute everyone who sup-
the backdrop of a large irritation or a threat to the moud Abbas suspended tance — regular demon- ported me and my case."
model of a slingshot that military's deterrence policy contacts with the U.S. after strations, including stone- From her home, Ahed
was "loaded" with a pencil — even as a "terrorist." Israel President Donald Trump throwing by unarmed pro- headed to a visit to the
rather than a stone, appar- has treated her actions as recognized Jerusalem as testers — has only caught grave of Palestinian leader
ently to highlight education a criminal offense, indicting Israel's capital in Decem- on in a few West Bank vil- Yasser Arafat. She laid a
as one of the possible Pal- her on charges of assault ber in what Palestinians lages, including Nabi Saleh, wreath, kissed the head-
estinian tactics. and incitement. In liberal denounced as a display home to the extended Ta- stone — twice at the re-
Underlying her case are circles, the hard-charging of blatant pro-Israel bias. mimi clan. quest of photographers —
clashing narratives about prosecution of Tamimi was Abbas, meanwhile, has Since 2009, residents of and recited a prayer from
Israel's half-century rule criticized as a public rela- stepped up financial pres- Nabi Salah have staged the Quran, the Muslim holy
over the Palestinians, the tions disaster because it sure on Gaza, controlled regular anti-occupation book.
extent of permissible Pales- turned her into an interna- since 2007 by his bitter do- protests that often end- She was then taken with
tinian resistance to it and tional icon. mestic rival, the Islamic mili- ed with stone-throwing her family to a meeting with
the battle for global public Her release comes at a time tant Hamas. clashes. Ahed has par- Abbas at his headquarters
opinion. when Palestinian hopes for Many Palestinians are disil- ticipated in such marches in Ramallah.
Tamimi's supporters see a an independent state ap- lusioned by their leaders in from a young age and The 83-year-old Abbas
brave girl who struck two pear dimmer than ever. both political camps and has had several highly praised her as a symbol
armed soldiers in frustration Israeli-Palestinian talks on feel exhausted after years publicized run-ins with sol- of resistance to occupa-
after having just learned setting up a state in lands of conflict with Israel. Alter- diers. One photo shows the tion — even as he faces
that Israeli troops seriously captured by Israel in 1967 natives have arisen, includ- then 12-year-old raising a growing domestic criticism
wounded a 15-year-old — the West Bank, the Gaza ing calling for a single state clenched fist toward a sol- for not walking away from
cousin, shooting him in the Strip and east Jerusalem for both peoples between dier towering over her. continued security coordi-
head from close range with — have been deadlocked the Jordan River and the In a sign of her popularity, nation between his forces
a rubber bullet during near- since hard-line Israeli Prime Mediterranean, but haven't a pair of Italian artists paint- and Israeli troops against
by stone-throwing clashes. Minister Benjamin Netanya- gained a mass following. ed a large mural of her on Hamas, a shared foe.q