Israeli police have raided a couple of Palestinian bookstore shops in East Jerusalem, arrested two of their owners and seized books, with the move that Israel has banned free speech and cultural activities for Palestinians across the country. Tightened.
Police confirmed the arrests of two brothers, Mahmood Mona and Ahmed Mona following the raids on Sunday, saying that books supporting terrorism are being sold in their shops, including children’s color. The book also includes a colorful book titled “From Jordan to Sea”.
The slogan “From the river to the sea” has long been screaming for Palestinian nationalism, and the Israelis have generally taken the denial of their country’s right to existence.
It was not immediately clear which other books were the target.
Murad Mona, brother of the owners of the two shops, denied that books were being sold in these stores that promoted violence. “This raid is a” part of a political oppression that aims to silence our voice in the public sector, “he said.
German Ambassador to Israel, Stephen Seburt, writes on X that he knows Manas, owner of an educational bookstore, who operates two raids, “peaceful, proud Palestinian Jerusalem, debate and debate. Open for intellectual exchange. “
Since the Hamas -led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli police have rapidly arrested Israeli Palestinian citizens for terrorism on social media and stopped the Israeli army or government -criticized film exhibition. .
The outlets of the educational bookstore are in East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in Jordan in 1967 and later linked to it. Israel considers Jerusalem as its undivided capital, but most of East Jerusalem are Palestinians, and the United Nations has considered the occupying territory.
On Monday morning, protesters gathered outside a court in Jerusalem, considering the detention of the two men.
The brothers’ lawyer, Nasir Odey, said the two men would be detained until Tuesday morning, and then they would be arrested for five days, which is pending.
Mahmood Mona’s wife, Mai Mona, said police went to book shops on a central commercial road in East Jerusalem around 3pm on Sunday.
“She started throwing books from the shelf,” Mona said in a phone interview on Monday. ” “They didn’t speak English – they were looking for something with the Palestinian flag.”
Two stores and a cafes have been the foundation of Palestinian cultural and educational life in East Jerusalem for decades, serving both locals and people from abroad and hosting conversations and film exhibitions.
