Ahed Tamimi, who became an international symbol of Palestinian resistance, was arrested by Israeli forces in a predawn raid earlier this month and held incommunicado. She is one of thousands of Palestinian activists who have been seized across the West Bank since October 7th according to the Middle East Monitor. CTIP asks the Canadian representative in Ramallah to inquire about her health and safety. Read more.
Mr. David da Silva
Canadian Representative to the Palestinian Authority
Ramallah, Palestine
Dear Mr. da Silva,
I am writing to you to express alarm and concern over the fate of 22 year old Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian activist who was arrested by Israeli authorities during a sweeping campaign of raids and detentions across the West Bank following October 7th.
Ms. Tamimi was arrested on “suspicion” of inciting violence and calling for terrorist activity. Israeli authorities claimed that an Instagram post in her name referenced Hitler and vowed to “slaughter” settlers in the West Bank. Her family has denied that she wrote the post, saying her account had been hacked months ago and that she is frequently impersonated online.
According to a recent article in the New York Times
- She was arrested on Nov. 6, at 4 a.m. when more than a dozen soldiers ransacked their home and hauled her away in handcuffs.
- She spent three weeks of detention without access to a lawyer or her family, incarcerated under what Israel calls “administrative detention”
- She now faces indefinite imprisonment, without charges or trial, based on evidence that neither she nor her lawyer are allowed to view.
Israel’s use of what it calls “administrative detention” has been widely criticized as a violation of international law as the detentions are almost always upheld by the Israeli military court system and can be renewed indefinitely.
Mr. da Silva, you no doubt know Ahed’s case is not unique. Your office has condemned the recent wave of settler violence on Facebook and indicated that you are “gravely concerned by reports of Palestinian communities being forcibly removed from their lands in the West Bank”.
According to the Israeli Daily “Ha’aretz”, “while the world is watching the Israel-Hamas war unfold in Gaza, Palestinians in the West Bank are suffering some of the worst violence and restrictions on their daily lives in years.”
You are right to be concerned.
I am pleased to note that the Canadian government has issued a statement strongly condemning the extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and is also expressing concern about reports of Palestinian communities being “forcibly removed from their lands in the West Bank”.
Settler violence – but also State violence
I urge the Canadian government to equally condemn the abuses committed by the State of Israel and the IDF in arresting thousands of Palestinians across the West Bank based on hearsay or completely fabricated evidence and holding them indefinitely under the draconian “administrative detention” provisions
The Israeli military estimates that it has arrested 1,800 people in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7. (Palestinians say the number is almost twice as high.) According to the Israel Prison Service, Israel currently holds 6,704 “security” inmates, including 2,070 administrative detainees held without trial. The fierce repression, coupled with escalating reports of violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers, has left the West Bank in an “alarming and urgent” situation according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
I urge you to find out what you can about the situation of young Ahed Tamimi and let me know. I also urge you to continue to make sure the Government of Canada is well aware of the atrocious and dangerous situation in the West Bank as a result of aggression by Israeli settlers and the repression against Palestinians carried out by the IDF.
Thank you in advance for the work you do.
Peter Larson, Chair, Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.
Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
Want to learn more about us? Go to Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.ca
Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 
I wholeheartedly support this letter, as I assume anyone following this story does.
Israel’s beed harassing her family for many years, off and on. The same as thousands and thousands others. But we are forgetting that when Israel kills, maims, demolishes houses, mass arrests, water denial, arresting and trying children in military court, also torturing them, stealing lands, building illegal settlements, putting two million in Gazans in concentration camp and a lot more, they are doing so because they have the right to defend themselves.
Excellent letter, as always, Peter. I read today that Ahed Tamimi has been released, as you no doubt know. One small victory.