U.S. citizen in the occupied West Bank detained over alleged incitement
A U.S. citizen is being held in detention by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank over alleged “incitement on social media.”
A U.S. citizen is being held in detention by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank over alleged “incitement on social media.”
Samaher Esmail, 46, a Palestinian American who lives in New Orleans, had been staying at a home she owns in Silwad, near Ramallah, when she was arrested early Monday, her son Ibrahim Hamed said.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed her arrest, saying in a statement that it conducted an operation Monday in the Silwad area to arrest “wanted suspects.” Esmail had returned to the West Bank in November in part to attend a hearing with Israeli officials related to an encounter with Israeli forces in December 2022, Hamed said.
Ibrahim Hamed with his mother, Samaher Esmail at an unknown date.Courtesy Ibrahim Hamed“As part of the operation, Samaher Esmail was arrested for incitement on social media,” the IDF said. “Suspects arrested in the operation were transferred to the security forces for further questioning.”
The IDF would not comment on what specific social media posts triggered the arrest.
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