Israeli army detains Ahed Tamimi's brother during raids

CAIRO – 12 May 2018: The Israeli army detained on Thursday eight Palestinians during raids of a number of West Bank cities and from East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.

In the West Bank, soldiers detained three men from the Bethlehem district, one from Maythalon in the Jenin district and one from Jericho, in addition to Waad Tamimi, brother of icon of civil protests Ahed Tamimi, during a raid at this Nabi Saleh home northwest of Ramallah.

Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian teenager, was sentenced today to serve eight months in jail after a viral video showed her hit two Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank, Tamimi’s lawyer told the press.

Tamimi was arrested four months ago after appearing in the video streaming along with her mother and cousin, slapping and shoving two Israeli soldiers outside their home in the village of Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank.

The soldiers had taken up positions next to the house amid protests in the village against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi enters a military courtroom escorted by Israeli security personnel at Ofer Prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, January 15, 2018 - REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo

Mariam Barghouti, a Palestinian activist close to the Tamimi family and Ahed’s mother, Nariman, confirmed to AFP that the request for a public trail had been rejected.

Tamimi’s trial began last month as she faced 12 charges, including aggravated assault.

The incident prompted criticism from right-wing Israelis that the military looked weak by allowing the teenager to strike a soldier and an officer with impunity, Reuters reported.

The case drew global attention. Amnesty International called Tamimi the "Rosa Parks of Palestine", and the small courtroom was often packed with journalists, diplomats and international observers during hearings, during which Tamimi was led into court in shackles.