RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Prominent Palestinian politician and rights campaigner Khalida Jarrar has been ordered detained for six months without trial by Israeli authorities, a rights group said.
Jarrar was arrested earlier this month over her membership of a movement that Israel considers a terrorist organization after having been released from prison only a year before.
A legislator in the largely defunct Palestinian parliament, she was given a six-month administrative detention order, said the Addameer rights NGO that she used to head.
A confirmation hearing will be held at Ofer military court in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on July 17, Addameer said in a statement issued late Wednesday.
The “detention constitutes an attack against Palestinian civil society leaders,” the movement said.
The Israeli army did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Jarrar’s case.
Jarrar is a senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Marxist party considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and European Union.
Many of its leaders are in custody and Jarrar has been jailed multiple times.
Israel has said she was arrested for her involvement with the PFLP.
The 54-year-old had only been released in June 2016 after 14 months in an Israeli jail for allegedly encouraging attacks against Israelis.
Israel’s controversial administrative detention policy allows imprisonment without trial for six-month periods renewable indefinitely.
Israel says it is intended to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing attacks in the meantime.
But the system has been criticized by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community who say Israel abuses the measure.
Palestinian MP gets six months in Israel jail without trial
Palestinian MP gets six months in Israel jail without trial
Syrian foreign minister: National interest and the welfare of the people top priority
- Hassan Al-Shaibani highlights reconstruction efforts, internal reforms during Munich discussion
MUNICH: The Syrian Arab Republic Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani spoke on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference about the country’s ongoing recovery, internal reforms, and the impact of Israeli military actions.
“We are satisfied with the achievements we have made, but we continue striving to deliver the best for our people,” Al-Shaibani said.
“We will not tire or give up and will work day and night to build the Syria we aspire to, together with our citizens.”
In the Syrian Arab News Agency report the minister stressed that the Syrian state had not shirked its responsibility for what happened in Sweida and other areas, noting that “the national interest and the welfare of the people have always been our top priority.”
He emphasized that the diversity in Syria is a source of strength.
We live in a country exhausted by war and by the mismanagement inherited from the deposed regime.
Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani
“We share national interests, including the unity and territorial integrity of the country, and we operate within the framework of the law,” he added.
Al-Shaibani highlighted progress in rebuilding state institutions and restoring trust between the government and the public.
“We live in a country exhausted by war and by the mismanagement inherited from the deposed regime,” he said. “Syrian society remains fragmented, both inside the country and abroad, and continues to face humanitarian and infrastructure challenges.”
He emphasized that efforts to unify the country include consolidating state control over weapons, a principle established after the revolution’s victory.
The minister also highlighted the role of Syrian citizens in the recovery process.
“What we rely on is our people, who possess determination and ambition,” he said, adding that “lifting sanctions is the key to reconstruction.”
He noted that there are still displacement camps in the country and that many refugees continue to live abroad.
Turning to external issues, he expressed concern over Israeli military activity.
“Since Dec. 8, 2024, Syria has faced more than 1,000 airstrikes, the occupation of new areas in southern Syria, and over 500 ground incursions,” he said, adding that the Syrian state has pursued a realistic approach toward Israel, prioritizing reconstruction and national recovery.
He noted, however, that the policy might not have been acceptable to Israel, which “continues to seek regional conflicts.”
Al-Shaibani emphasized that negotiations should result in Israel withdrawing from the areas it occupied after Dec. 8, respecting Syrian sovereignty and airspace.
Syria’s deputy interior minister met with Germany’s interior minister on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
They discussed security developments and prospects for cooperation, according to a statement from the interior ministry.
Maj. Gen. Abdulkader Al-Tahhan held talks with German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt during the annual conference.
The Syrian Interior Ministry said the meeting included a review of current developments in Syria and their impact on security and humanitarian issues.
It added that both sides stressed the importance of coordination and information-sharing in support of regional and international stability.
The statement said the officials also discussed possible cooperation between the two interior ministries, including training, capacity-building and the exchange of expertise.
