In a significant move underscoring ongoing tensions in the region, the Israeli army announced the detention of Khalida Jarrar, a senior Palestinian politician, and other members of her leftist party in the occupied West Bank. Jarrar, aged 60, is a notable figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a faction within the Palestine Liberation Organization. The PFLP is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union, due to its history of involvement in violent acts of terror against civilian targets and its opposition to the peace process.
According to the Israeli army's statement, "Khaleda Jarrar, a wanted terrorist, was arrested... along with other PFLP activists." This is not Jarrar's first encounter with Israeli authorities; she was previously detained in October 2019 and released in September 2020. The recent arrest occurred during an early morning operation in Ramallah, as described by her husband, Ghassan Jarrar. He reported that soldiers forcibly entered their home around 5:00 am.
Khaleda Jarrar is a despicable terrorist, who headed the PFLP, an internationally designated terrorist organization responsible, inter alia, for the murder of Rina Shcnerb.
— Maurice Hirsch, Adv. 🇮🇱 עו''ד מוריס הירש (@MauriceHirsch4) July 12, 2021
She should rot in jail! pic.twitter.com/AE6JhtW4bC
Jarrar's political career includes her election to the Palestinian assembly in 2006 as a PFLP representative. Apart from her political activities, she has been a vocal advocate for women's rights within the repressive Islamist Palestinian society and has also actively campaigned for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, manh of whom are in for terror related crimes including murder of Jewish civilians.
The PFLP, in response to the arrests, stated that Israel's army conducted a "vast campaign on Tuesday morning to arrest leaders" of the group in the Judea and Samaria. The statement asserted, "These arrests will not break the will of our people," highlighting the group's resilience in the face of these operations.
Israeli forces have intensified their activities in the Palestinian territories over recent years, leading to a noticeable increase in violence. This escalation was particularly marked following the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, which began on October 7th. The conflict was triggered by Hamas attacks on Israeli communities, resulting in over 1,300 civilian deaths. These attacks included acts of extreme violence against women and children, deeply impacting public sentiment and security policies.
🚨 The IOF abducted PFLP leader and freed prisoner Khalida Jarrar from her home in #Ramallah.
— Palestine Now (@PalestineNW) December 26, 2023
Khalida has been imprisoned at least four times on baseless charges, most recently in 2016 and 2021. She was freed in September of 2021 after two years of administrative detention… pic.twitter.com/1aaMxsY5FE
In the aftermath of the Gaza war, more than 300 Palestinians have been killed in skirmishes with Israeli forces, as per figures from the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah which considers those killed while committing acts of violence against Israelis to be "murdered" by Israel. The conflict in Gaza, initiated by Hamas militants, led to approximately 1,300 deaths, predominantly civilians, based on the latest Israeli data. In retaliation, Israel's offensive in Gaza resulted in over 20,600 fatalities, with a significant number of women and children, according to reports from the Hamas led health ministry in Gaza which also considers armed militants to be civilians.
The detention of Khalida Jarrar and other PFLP activists marks another chapter in the complex and often tragic history of Israeli-Palestinian relations. These events underscore the ongoing challenges in achieving lasting peace and security in the region.
