{"id":283514,"date":"2024-12-30T12:00:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T12:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=283514"},"modified":"2024-12-24T07:06:02","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T07:06:02","slug":"for-israeli-police-humiliating-palestinian-women-is-a-tool-of-collective-repression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/12\/for-israeli-police-humiliating-palestinian-women-is-a-tool-of-collective-repression\/","title":{"rendered":"For Israeli Police, Humiliating Palestinian Women Is a Tool of Collective Repression"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Israeli police arrest a Palestinian woman in Karmiel, northern Israel, 3 Jul 2024. (David Cohen\/Flash90)<\/p><\/div>\n

Political arrests of Palestinian women in Israel \u2014 who face strip-searches, blindfolding, and doxxing \u2014 aim to send the community a clear message.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

20 Dec 2024 – <\/em>The first time Palestinian actress Maisa Abd Elhadi was arrested was just days after the October 7 attacks. At 11 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2023, the police showed up at her home in Nazareth, illegally confiscated her phone, and proceeded to take her to the city\u2019s central police station.<\/p>\n

There, she learned that she was being investigated over two posts she had shared on Instagram on October 7. The first showed civilians near a bulldozer at the Gaza fence, which the accompanying text compared to the fall of the Berlin Wall. \u201cThere were no armed individuals in the image,\u201d she clarified. The second was a picture of Yaffa Adar, an elderly Israeli woman kidnapped that day, with the caption: \u201cThis lady is on the adventure of her life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shared this story early in the morning without really understanding what was happening or how serious the situation was,\u201d Abd Elhadi explained, regarding the latter post. \u201cWhen I later learned of the full context and saw the videos being shared that day, I immediately deleted it myself.\u201d But by that point, it was too late.<\/p>\n

At the police station, a female police officer ordered Abd Elhadi to remove her clothing and conducted a strip-search. \u201cWhile I was unclothed, she physically assaulted me, verbally abused me with derogatory terms including \u2018terrorist,\u2019 and made threatening statements about further actions she would take against me,\u201d Abd Elhadi recalled. \u201cI then waited three hours for an Arabic-speaking interrogator and my lawyer, but the actual interrogation lasted only a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

After being interrogated about her social media posts, Abd Elhadi told +972 that the police refused to return her mobile phone, threatening to hold her in detention if she didn\u2019t give them the passcode. Eventually, Abd Elhadi was released to house arrest, and she later initiated legal proceedings to retrieve her phone.<\/p>\n

But just two weeks later, in the early morning hours of Oct. 23, Abd Elhadi was arrested once again.<\/p>\n

\"Maisa<\/a><\/p>\n
Maisa Abd Elhadi. (Mehran Falsafi\/CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI later learned that my arrest followed a social media post by a prominent Israeli actor who had shared my story and encouraged one of his followers to file complaints against me,\u201d Abd Elhadi explained. \u201cOnce the Israeli media picked up the story, things escalated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israeli media outlets published Abd Elhadi\u2019s private information, including her home address, along with the indictments and a nudity scene from her movie \u201cHuda\u2019s Salon\u201d \u2014 what she described as an orchestrated smear campaign to erode her support among fellow Palestinians. Moshe Arbel, the interior minister, even moved to try to strip her of her Israeli citizenship<\/a> and deport her.<\/p>\n

After arriving at the police station, Abd Elhadi was taken to an office near the lobby by the same female officer who strip-searched her during her first arrest. In that room, which was accessible to male officers, the officer forced Abd Elhadi to undress, handcuffed her, physically assaulted her \u2014 and then photographed in front of an Israeli flag.<\/p>\n

Abd Elhadi was detained for two days, during which she remained entirely cut off from the outside world. \u201cThey then transported me to another prison in order to appear in court via Zoom, during which I was subjected to further physical assault and body searches. After the court appearance, the officer assaulted me again, dragging me by my hair. I was transferred first to Sharon Prison and then to Damon Prison before they released me,\u201d Abd Elhadi recounted.<\/p>\n

On Nov. 9, 2023 an indictment was filed against Abd Elhadi, accusing her of expressing support for a terror organization and incitement to terrorism. \u201cUnder the specific circumstances, there is a real possibility that her publications will lead to the commission of an act of terrorism,\u201d the prosecutor\u2019s office stated. Following the indictment, Abd Elhadi was put on house arrest \u2014 and was only released a year later<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe experience left me in a state of constant terror,\u201d Abd Elhadi, who remains barred from using social media, said after her release. \u201cI felt I was entering the unknown, unsure if I would ever be free again or if I would face perpetual persecution by state institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"View<\/a><\/p>\n
View of Damon prison, located in Northern Israel, August 1, 2012. Moshe Shai\/Flash90)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

According to the Haifa-based Palestinian legal center Adalah, Abd Elhadi is one of 127 Palestinian women \u2014 from prominent actresses to teachers and students \u2014 who were arrested or questioned by Israeli police over social media posts between October 7, 2023 and March 27, 2024. Their testimonies about what they went through in custody \u2014 including repeated strip-searches, staged photographs in front of Israeli flags, and the distribution of arrest images \u2014 reveal a disturbing pattern: the systematic use of degrading practices against individual Palestinian citizens to instill collective deterrence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe consistently receive reports from women detainees about systematic humiliation, including multiple strip-searches at various [police] stations, excessive handcuffing, and unauthorized cell phone searches,\u201d Nareman Shehadeh Zoabi, an attorney at Adalah, told +972. \u201cBeyond that, they endure verbal abuse, inappropriate comments, and mockery about their bodies intended to cause shame.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arrest images and state repression<\/h3>\n

The drastic escalation in arrests of Palestinian citizens of Israel by police in the weeks following October 7 was made possible, in part, by a task force established by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir earlier in 2023 that specifically aimed to go after alleged incitement on social media. In addition, Israeli State Prosecutor Amit Aisman issued regulations that made it easier<\/a> for police to detain Israeli citizens suspected of incitement \u2014 the vast majority of whom were Palestinian.<\/p>\n

The May arrest of Rasha Karim Harami, a beauty salon owner from the town of Majd Al-Krum in the Galilee, was another case that sparked controversy over police procedures. Initially detained for incitement over social media posts critical of Israel\u2019s war in Gaza, Harami was later charged with \u201cdisturbing the peace\u201d after police failed to secure preapproval from the prosecutor\u2019s office for the original charge.<\/p>\n

Harami\u2019s case drew widespread attention when police released footage of the arrest, which showed her handcuffed with plastic restraints and blindfolded with flannel cloth \u2014 treatment typically reserved for Palestinian \u201csecurity suspects.\u201d The video was widely shared on social media<\/a>, drawing condemnation from Palestinian MKs and prompting the prosecutor\u2019s office to issue a harsh response<\/a> criticizing police conduct.<\/p>\n

Following her interrogation, Harami was placed under house arrest for five days. Shehadeh Zoabi told +972 that in the wake of this case, Adalah submitted a formal complaint to senior Israeli law enforcement officials demanding \u201cthe immediate cessation of illegal practices including blindfolding and excessive restraints.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Rasha<\/a><\/p>\n
Rasha Karim Harami (Oren Ziv)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

But beyond the legal questions, it\u2019s clear that such practices are part of broader campaign against Palestinian citizens. \u201cThese photographs of arrested citizens \u2014 handcuffed with plastic restraints and blindfolded with flannel cloth \u2014 send a message from the state to the entire Palestinian community,\u201d explains Dr. Honaida Ghanim, a Palestinian sociologist, anthropologist, and director of the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies (MADAR). \u201cThey showcase the state\u2019s tools of oppression, suppression, and humiliation, while simultaneously delineating the boundaries of freedom of expression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nor can these actions be seen, Ghanim argues, in isolation from the wider context of Israel\u2019s genocidal war in Gaza, where images of dead, maimed, and traumatized Palestinians proliferate. \u201cThese images are designed to impact Palestinian collective consciousness. They form part of a larger visual narrative \u2014 a collage through which the state attempts to reassert its authority and deterrence, showcasing complete power through control and oppression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another case that gained attention due to questionable police actions involved Intisar Hijazi<\/a>, a 41-year-old Palestinian teacher from the city of Tamra in northern Israel. She was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, for sharing a video of herself dancing to an English song on social media. The video, filmed at her school in Nazareth on October 7, 2023, contained no reference to the Hamas attacks of that day.<\/p>\n

Attorney Ashraf Hejazi, who represents Hijazi, spoke to +972 about the case. \u201cWhen we arrived at the police station, they were unable to substantiate any terrorism-related charges, instead accusing her of endangering public safety,\u201d he explained. \u201cThe court initially granted police a two-day extension to establish evidence for their accusations, but after two days in detention, she was released as police failed to produce any evidence supporting their claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before any official police statement was issued, Ben Gvir posted images of Hijazi during her arrest, blindfolded in a police vehicle. Another unauthorized photograph circulated on social media as well, showing her handcuffed in front of an Israeli flag. \u201cWe later discovered that Ben Gvir had personally requested her arrest on terrorism charges,\u201d Hejazi said.<\/p>\n

Similarly, in the case of Abd Elhadi, Ben Gvir shared staged photos of the actress standing in front of an Israeli flag while in police custody. He subsequently launched a public attack<\/a> on the judge who ordered her release, Judge Arafat Taha, labeling him a \u201cdomestic enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n
The arrest image of Intisar Hijazi, Oct. 8, 2024.<\/div>\n
(Social media; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe [distribution] of these arrest images, especially of well-known figures, represents a form of societal abuse,\u201d explains Dr. Maram Masarwi, a lecturer and researcher at Al Qasemi College of Education and Tel Aviv University. \u201cThe state\u2019s message is unambiguous: we can reach anyone and silence any voice, even prominent artists like Dalal Abu Amneh<\/a>. No voice is permitted to rise above the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we see a person photographed beneath the flag in a humiliating pose, we unconsciously internalize this power dynamic,\u201d Masarwi continued. \u201cNot everyone has the immunity or ability to confront this power, leading most to practice self-preservation through avoidance. This oppression becomes unconsciously embedded in our collective psyche as a society.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abeer Baker, a lawyer representing Abd Elhadi, told +972 that she has observed an increase in indictments against Palestinian women in particular over the past year. \u201cThis isn\u2019t random,\u201d Baker argued. \u201cThe arrest of women, particularly students and well-known figures, creates social anxiety and intimidates other women.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to increase pressure on a community, you target its women. Women are more vulnerable during investigations due to various forms of blackmail, especially privacy violations like phone searches,\u201d Baker explained. \u201cThere\u2019s also an element of revenge linked to the sexual violence of October 7 \u2014 Palestinian women are being treated as if they were guilty by association.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018The fear never leaves me\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n

In August, Israeli human rights group B\u2019Tselem published \u201cWelcome to Hell,\u201d<\/a> a groundbreaking report detailing the systemic abuse of Palestinians and inhuman conditions inside Israeli prisons since October 7 \u2014 what they describe as a \u201cnetwork of torture camps.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report notes that, despite their different legal status, the hundreds of Palestinian citizens of Israel who were arrested were \u201csubjected to the same conditions [in prisons] as their West Bank counterparts and suffered similar abuses,\u201d including severe physical abuse, sexual humiliation, and denial of basic rights.<\/p>\n

\"Prisoners<\/a><\/p>\n
Prisoners seen at a courtyard in a prison in southern Israel, February 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Among the testimonies gathered in the report was that of I.A. \u2014 a Palestinian-Israeli university student in her 20s who was arrested in November 2023 over a social media post. She recounted being repeatedly mocked for her appearance by officers and prison guards, and being forced to undergo strip-searches in front of male guards. \u201cThe female guard made fun of my clothes, the shape of my body, and my body hair. She made it clear that I disgusted her,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

After her release, I.A. returned to university, but she continued to face a hostile environment. \u201cI was really scared Jewish students would attack me,\u201d she said. \u201cMany students now attend classes armed with rifles and guns \u2026 I often [find myself] sitting next to someone armed during a lecture. It\u2019s a really scary situation, especially in the face of ongoing incitement against Arab students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like others in the report, this testimony illustrates how the Israeli prison system serves not only as a tool for physical oppression, but as a method of instilling lasting psychological trauma that extends far beyond prison walls, aimed at suppressing Palestinian citizens\u2019 participation in civic life.<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Marwan Dwairy, a clinical psychologist from Nazareth, in the wake of October 7, some Palestinian citizens in Israel \u201cbelieved they still had [some] democratic space to express their feelings, [even if] minimally or indirectly.\u201d The war on Gaza, he argued, \u201cintensified their feelings of frustration and helplessness, triggering fear for their safety and guilt over their inability to help their people.\u201d<\/p>\n

But within days or weeks, they found themselves persecuted by their universities, workplaces, and courts. The psychological impact, Dwairy argued, has been profound: the shrinking space for freedom of expression, combined with war-related anxieties and fear of prosecution, has led to \u201ca significant increase in cases of depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders\u201d among Palestinian citizens.<\/p>\n

For Abd Elhadi, anxiety was a constant presence during her year under house arrest, especially as Israeli social media users threatened to assault her in her home. \u201cI didn\u2019t feel safe, knowing they had published my address,\u201d she told +972. \u201cEvery approaching car made me anxious.\u201d She also began sleeping fully clothed with emergency supplies nearby for fear of being arrested again.<\/p>\n

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Abeer Baker, Abd Elhadi\u2019s lawyer, noted that the police are continuing to conceal crucial information in her case, including the identities of the two officers who filmed her, and how her photos were leaked to the media. \u201cThis case is significant because it exposes state practices, particularly those of the police, and of the prosecution\u2014whose role should be to oversee police conduct, but has instead become complicit in these illegal practices,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe\u2019re working to transform the indictment against Maisa into an indictment against the police for their treatment of female prisoners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though Abd Elhadi was released from house arrest last month, she cannot escape the psychological toll of the past year. \u201cTo this day, I fear for my life,\u201d she said. \u201cI only go to familiar places where I have friends. The fear never leaves me.\u201d<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mariam Farah is a Palestinian journalist from Haifa.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Go to Original – 972mag.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

20 Dec 2024 – Political arrests of Palestinian women in Israel \u2014 who face strip-searches, blindfolding, and doxxing \u2014 aim to send the community a clear message.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":283517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[1854,87,88,427,965,1025,525],"class_list":["post-283514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-palestine-israel-gaza-genocide","tag-crimes-against-humanity","tag-gaza","tag-israel","tag-palestine","tag-war-crimes","tag-west-bank","tag-women"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=283514"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":283520,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283514\/revisions\/283520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/283517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=283514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=283514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}