Jawwad Siam's arrest and incarceration today.
I was in court today to show solidarity with a local Palestinian activist from Silwan (Wadi Hilweh)whom I have known for a number of years now. I came home deeply distressed by what happened there, done in my name as an Israeli. Rather than justice done I felt that I was witness to a mockery of justice.
Jawwad works as a social worker with Palestinian youth in the Mahaneh Yehuda market, for a public institution connected with the Jerusalem municipality. After work, he gives hours of his time to organizing self-help frameworks in his neighbourhood, Wadi Hilweh in Silwan. Intelligent, educated and secular depite the circumstances of his childhood in Silwan, 40-year-old, jeans-wearing Jawwad is committed to seeking a better life for his people. He has been active in organizing nonviolent protest against expressions of repression and discrimination in the neighbourhood, such as home demolitions, the use of archeology for purposes of nationalist propaganda, and the continuing aggressive incursions of the extremist settler organization "Adei Ad". He is also a devoted father who wants better for his kids than he got from a childhood in poverty in Silwan.
Jawwad was arrested a month ago on unspecified charges, which the police refuse to reveal in open court, and remanded to house arrest. Last night, he was arrested in the middle of the night for 'transgressing' against his house arrest -- apparently a trumped-up charge, as many people have attested that they were with him at home and that he was painfully careful to observe the condtions of his house arrest. The new arrest came on the eve of a court hearing to cancel that house. Though the police still refused to discuss the charges themselves, they apparently were 'leaked" to the Maariv newspaper, which ran two stories one day after the next, before today's hearing, in which Jawwad was named as being suspected of instigating riots and inciting violence in Silwan.
Instead of hearing out his lawyer Leah Zemmel's defence of Jawwad today, Judge Feinberg accepted the prosecution's request for a postponement for another 6 weeks, during which time he is to remain again under house arrest with no opportunity to clear his name.
But he was not released to his home . The police requested at a subsequent court hearing before a different judge to hold him in custody for further questioning. The request was accepted and he is being held under lock and key until Thursday.
This rather dry report of mine does not capture the cynicism of police, judge and prosecution in court today. Jawwad, after all, is a Palestinian "trouble-maker," and settler and police harrassment of such people is a long-standing tradition. Despite his ideological commitment to non-violence, he is assumed guilty at the outset and can be deprived of his liberty for two months without a hearing.
The Jawwad I know is an idealist, whose slogan for his self-financed local community centre is ""I love Silwan", a man who has devoted his life to getting kids off the streets to learn music, computers, read books, and better their lives in circumstances which would lead a weaker man to lift up his hands in surrender and hopelessness. He has worked tirelessly with anyone who is willing to lend a hand, including Israelis, depite continuing harrassment by the authorities.
Jawwad, thin, tired, but proud, was brought into the courtroom by two hefty policeman, legs shackeled, handcuffed. He managed to smile when he saw his wife Suzy, who made a brave effort to hold back her emotions, and his worried friends, Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish and Arab, sitting in court to support him. His courage was an inspiration, and a stark contrast to the cold, callous behaviour of those who are trying to break his leadership.
They will not succeed.
Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann
Rabbis For Human Rights
מעצרו של ג'וואד הוארך היום עד יום חמישי לצורך ביצוע פעולות חקירה נוספות.
בשל המעצר גם דחה השופט פיינברג את הדיון בתסיק שירות המבחן שהמליץ לבטל את מעצר הבית של ג'וואד.
במידה והמשטרה תרצה להאריך מעצר שוב לג'וואד יתקיים דיון בפני השופט מוסק בבית משפט השלום שוב ביום חמישי בשעה 13:00
