Ofer - Barred (from meeting with attorney), Separation Barrier
Translation: Marganit W.
Summed up briefly: there was no trial.
Judge: Etty Adar
Prosecutor: Michael Avitan
Defense: Labib Habib – NOT PRESENT
We came to watch the trial of Bassam Tamimi from Nabi Salah who is accused of organizing demonstrations in his village against the separation fence. At the entrance, Yonatan Polack informed us that Atty. Habib could not show up because his car broke down. Bassam, however, was going to be in court. Bassam’s wife, Nariman and his aunt were present, as well as a group of Anarchist Against the Fence, who has been following this trial all along, and a few foreign diplomats. According to the draconic – and racist – rules that obtain in this court, a group of 10 people may attend the trial, but they must be Jewish or foreign; of the defendant’s family only 2 persons may attend. So this was the composition of the court today, plus a GSS investigator sitting next to the prosecutor.
There was no hearing, of course; it was set for next Sunday, 11.9.11.
4 witnesses will testify, all of them members of Tamimi’s family. Bassam’s wife told us that he has already been detained for about 6 months and during this period she has visited him only once. She has a permit to come one more time. And then? Either he’ll be released or she will have to apply for another permit.
Next to the gate we saw an Al-Jazeera van. They came to cover the trial of Samer Allawi.
For details see
-text in Haaretz http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/al-jazeera-journalist-detained-in-israel-last-week-1.378986(Engl.)
- text in The 7th Eye http://www.the7eye.org.il/articles/Pages/050911_Natural_connection_to_any_journalist.aspx (Hebr.)
The photographer stood outside with his camera
, in an open, exposed area where hundreds of Palestinians, to their chagrin, gather every day. Perhaps he was taking pictures and maybe he just wanted taking pictures; but the sight of the camera immediately brought out the soldier, who normally sits behind a dark glass window. He quickly crossed four electric doors and the turnstile, demanding that the photographer put away his camera; he took the latter’s ID card and went to get instructions.
Allawi’s family was standing outside the gate and was not allowed to enter because of the incident with the photographer, who had nothing whatsoever to do with them, but since they all came to see the same person, military logic dictates that they should not be admitted.
When we came out of the compound we realized that the Al Jazeera crew had not been allowed in because they had not coordinated their visit with the army spokesman, but Alawi’s attorney, Salim Wakim, was being interview by the crew. It turns out that Allawi himself did not show up in court because for a week now he has been barred from meeting with his attorney; he had been interrogated under threats and was told that if he did not cooperate, he would be put under administrative detention.
So what did we have today? One non-hearing re Bassam Tamimi, to which the defense attorney did not show up, and another non-hearing, in which the defendant, Allawi, did not appear.