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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News Report post

Late Thursday, Israeli forces raided the town of al-Issawiya, in east Jerusalem, and abducted several members of the family of former political prisoner and 266-day hunger striker Samer al-Issawi, including his sister, the prominent Palestinian human rights lawyer Shireen al-Issawi.

Local sources report that armed Israeli soldiers in military vehicles arrived at the Elia Association for Youth in East Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon and rushed into the center pointing their guns at students and forcing out of their classrooms.

The soldiers demanded that the students hand over their identity cards. They then damaged equipment in the center and confiscated four computers before detaining Shadi al-Issawi, a family member of the former political prisoner Samer al-Issawi.

The troops then went to the homes of Samer al-Issawi's father, Abu Rafat, and his brother Medhat. They abducted Samer's sister and lawyer Shireen al-Issawi, and also damaged property and confiscated computers from the family's residences.

The two family members (Shadi and Shireen) were later released with orders to return to the Israeli military base for an interrogation by the Israeli intelligence forces known as the 'Shabak'.

This is not the first time that lawyer Shireen al-Issawi has been taken into custody by Israeli forces. During her brother's imprisonment and extended hunger strike last year, Shireen al-Issawi was held for over two weeks by Israeli troops before being released without charges.

Following the detention of the members of the al-Issawi family, clashes broke out on al-Madares street, with youth throwing stones at the heavily armed Israeli troops, and two youth were detained by Israeli troops.

One of the two youth taken from the street was identified as Ammar Adaweya.
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JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Thursday afternoon detained four Palestinians in raids across East Jerusalem, including two detained after clashes broke out during a raid in al-Issawiya.

Israeli forces detained two members of the Issawi family and gave an order to meet with Israeli intelligence for questioning to a third during the raids.

Shadi Issawi was detained during a raid on the Elia Association for Youth on Salah al-Din Street in East Jerusalem.

Witnesses said Israeli army and special forces interrogated students at the center during the raid, forcing them out of their classes and taking their identity cards during questioning before releasing them.

After searching the institute, witnesses said Israeli forces confiscated four computers and cameras.

Issawi was previously detained for two weeks during his brother Samer Issawi's 266-day hunger strike in Israeli prison.


Israeli forces also raided the village of al-Issawiya in East Jerusalem and detained Shireen Issawi, a prominent lawyer from the same family.

Issawi's father Abu Rafat said that Israeli forces raided his house as well as his son Medhat's house and confiscated computers, mobile phones, and other documents during the raids.

Medhat was handed a notice to meet with Israeli intelligence forces during the raid, Abu Rafat said.

Clashes then broke out in the village around al-Madares Street, and two people were detained by Israeli undercover forces during the clashes. One of the detained was identified as Ammar Adaweya, while the other was unidentified.

An Israeli police spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

The detention raids targeted family members of former prisoner Samer Issawi.

Issawi was released from Israeli jail in December as part of an agreement in which he ended a 266-day hunger strike, during which time he became an international cause célèbre who focused attention on the plight of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Issawi's hunger strike was one of the longest in history, and brought him close to death.
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