Ofer - Health Problems, Knives

Translation: Marganit W.

Creative Judges:

“The Prison Authorities where the accused is held will look into the possibility of transferring the mother’s milk to the accused’s baby.”

Judge: Lieut. Col. Shmuel Kedar

Israeli Police: Sgt. Major Raphael Sabagh

Defense: Atty. Abu Omar

Defendant: Arwa Haled Muhammad Sultan  - ID 950326918

Arwa, mother of six (the youngest are 18-month old twins) lives in Hebron. She was arrested in her home and was interrogated at Kiryat Arba for 96 hours! Her husband is also detained. Her father was present in court: he was willing to pay any sum for her release on bail. He denied she did any of the things she is charged with. Arwa, on the other hand, said she does not mind remaining in jail, provided her twins can be with her, so she can breast-feed them. The investigator said the investigation had not yet concluded.

In his decision the judge instructed the investigators not to ask for an extension: only the military prosecution should request an extension in order to prepare the indictment.

Atty. Abu Omar had to agree to a 4-day remand extension. Thus, the next hearing will be on Thursday 10.11.16.

At this point the judge came up with his wonderful suggestion about transferring the mother’s milk.

Bear in mind: Arwa is kept in Sharon Prison.

Earlier I had a chance to talk to Arwa’s father. He is an engineer. He told us that he had read Moshe Dayan’s book where he explains that Israeli will always live on its sword. He expressed anger at the treatment women receive from soldiers at the checkpoints (even if they carry knives) they shoot them right away.

We had to agree with him.

Judge: Lieut. Col. Zvi Heilbronn

Prosecutor: Captain Michael Reber

Defense: Atty. Akram Samara

Defendant: Gadir Yussef  Muhammad Alatrash - ID 941506065

Gadir’s story is another sad tale of a Palestinian woman, mother of small kids, who suffers from an abusive husband. Her solution: go to the checkpoint at the Cave of the Patriarch with a knife.

Gadir has been in prison since 9.8.16.

At the arraignment on 29.9.16 the court ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant. It has not been submitted yet.

Another issue in Gadir’s life is a rift between her family and her husband’s family, and her mother’s struggle to get custody of Gadir’s children who are with the husband’s parents.

In today’s hearing Gadir’s mother informed her that her husband had divorced her and that she had the divorce papers, at which point Gadir bashed her head against the rail, collapsed and did not hear the rest of the hearing.

The judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation by either the regional psychiatrist or the Prison Authority.

A response to the indictment will be heard on 19.12.16.