Ahed Tamimi
Photo: Zvika Tishler
Report: Israel bans Ahed Tamimi from leaving Israel
Palestinian teen provocateur's father tells Turkish news agency that planned trip to Europe via Jordan—where Tamimi intended to share her experience of imprisonment in Israel for assaulting an IDF soldier—was summarily stopped with no explanation provided.
Israel has imposed a ban on the Palestinian provocateur Ahed Tamimi and her family from traveling abroad, according to a report in the Turkish news agency Andaolu.
The 17-year-old became a heroine to Palestinians after the December 15 incident last year outside her home in the village of Nabi Saleh was streamed live on Facebook by her mother, Nariman, and went viral. She was 16 at the time.
Bassem Tamimi, the girl's father, told the news agency that his family had planned to travel to Europe after crossing into Jordan and participate in events during which they would discuss Tamimi’s imprisonment in an Israeli jail.
Tamimi, the blond-haired and blue-eyed Palestinian who has become a symbol of resistance among Palestinian supporters, but is viewed by Israel and others as a provocateur encouraged by her family to carry out acts of violence, was released from prison in July after serving an 8-month sentence in Israel for slapping, punching and kicking, along with her cousin, an Israeli soldier on camera.
(Photo: Zvika Tishler)
The 17-year-old became a heroine to Palestinians after the December 15 incident last year outside her home in the village of Nabi Saleh was streamed live on Facebook by her mother, Nariman, and went viral. She was 16 at the time.
According to Bassem, the Palestinian authorities informed the family that Israel will not authorize them to leave their country. Their departure was scheduled for this Friday. No explanation was provided, the family said.
Upon her release from prison in July, Bassem said that his daughter “did not make a mistake.”
Nariman was also arrested during the assault on the IDF officer for filming the incident and posting it on Facebook. After also serving a prison sentence, she was released from prison the same day as her daughter.
Shortly after her release, Tamimi met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in his headquarters in Ramallah.
L-R: Ahed, Bassem and Nariman Tamimi (Photo: Reuters)
“The President praised Ahed and described her as a model of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, independence and statehood,” a statement said on the Palestinian Wafa news agency.
“He stressed that nonviolent resistance which Ahed embodies has proven to be an ideal and vital weapon in facing the repression of the Israeli occupation.”
According to the statement, Abbas said: “You are a model for emulation of the civil resistance. You prove that the Palestinian people will stand firm for their rights, no matter what the price will be.”
Attila Somfalvi and Alexandra Lukash contributed to this report.
