Middle East Monitor / July 19, 2023
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is detaining members of the armed resistance against the occupation under the pretext that they are in possession of unlicensed weapons.
According to SAFA news agency, having unlicensed weapons is a claim repeated in all indictments issued by the PA Public Prosecution against Palestinian fighters.
Safa reported lawyers saying that the PA courts depend on this claim to sentence or extend the detention of Palestinian fighters.
Reporting on figures released by rights groups, the news agency said that there are currently 33 Palestinian fighters enduring harsh treatment inside the PA’s jails.
Director of Lawyers for Justice, Mohannad Karajah, said: “In addition to using the pretext of unlicensed weapons, the PA claims that it is keeping fighters in custody to protect them from being harmed by the Israeli occupation.”
Karajah reiterated that freedom fighters do not need to get licences from anyone to hold arms and fight the occupation of their countries, pointing out this is a right guaranteed by international law.
“The Palestinian fighters are practicing their right enshrined by international legitimacy,” Karajah said.
In most cases, fighters accused of holding unlicensed arms are acquitted by the courts, but the security agencies keep them in prison.
Lawyer Gandhi Amin said: “As long as the PA is not protecting the Palestinians during the Israeli offensives and incursions into their towns and villages, it does not have the right to prevent them from holding arms and defending themselves.”
