A Florida teenager is in an Israeli prison. Why His Family and Lawyers Say He Should Be Freed

St. PeterSburg, FLA. (AP) – A Florida family is already grieving the death of a 20-year-old relative and is now pleading with them to count the dead man’s 16-year-old cousin – an American from Florida who has been in Israeli prison for eight months.

Relatives, security groups and other congress members have been calling for Mohammed Ibrahim’s extradition since he was arrested at the age of 15 by Israeli forces in February. A 20-year-old cousin, Asfollah Rausallet, was beaten to death by residents in the West Bank Village of Al Mazra As-Sharqiya earlier this year.

“This is actually two American sisters, who just buried her son and her older sister will give her support and pray that her son does not join a group of Americans who killed overseas,” said Mofana’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur. “They got through this together.”

“It’s basically crippled our family,” said Khel Marallet, Israel’s father and Mohammed’s father. “It’s been three months and there’s not a day that my wife and I don’t cry.”

He was sentenced while visiting family

Mohammed, of Palm Bay, Florida, was visiting family in the West Bank with his parents in February, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. He was arrested on February 15 at the family home in his village near Ramallah for allegedly throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the West Bank, several members of Congress said.

The Israeli army has continued to book in the West Ball during the Israeli War – the war of Hamas, taking unexplained amounts of Palestinians into prisons where the prisoners reported poor treatment and conditions. Israel says mass arrests will stop wars. But civilians and stone – throwers were caught in the attack – and in Palestine – Americans like Mohammed were among them.

Israel treats stone-throwers as soldiers, while Palestinians largely see the practice as legitimate resistance to Israeli occupation.

The teenager could face up to 20 years in prison for the alleged crime, and his supporters say there is overwhelming evidence.

In the affidavit provided by Kadur, Mohammed is recorded as having told his Palestinian lawyer that he was attacked by Israeli forces using stones after being threatened with stones after being kidnapped by the police for questioning.

“In the beginning, I was reluctant to agree, but the interrogator threatened that if I didn’t comply, he would order the soldiers, and I finally agreed,” said the source quoting the young man as saying.

The family says they have been kept in the dark

More than 100 based on questions in the US, human rights and the rights of intellectual property rights have sent a joint letter with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging action to obtain the release of Mohammed.

In addition, in a letter sent on Tuesday to Rubio and the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, 15 representatives and representatives of the United States said that they have a lot “in the case of Mohammed. They urged Rubio and Huckabee to intervene with the government “and join the government of Israel to secure the immediate release of this American boy.”

Musallet said Huckabee visited the family in July, following the death of his son, to raise their hopes that Mohammed would be released.

“We said, ‘Alhumdulillah,’ At least some good has come out of it and Mohammed would be out of prison,” Musallet said, using an Arabic phrase that gives glory to God. “And 3 1/2 months later, still.”

Mohammed’s family has been barred by Israeli forces from direct contact with their son since his arrest and relies on sporadic reports about his condition at the Israeden Embassy and Ofer prison in the US Embassy in Israel, his lawyers said.

“We hope you know that we are doing everything possible to get him out,” said Zebrammad, Mohammad’s father.

Kadur said Mohammed, who turned 16 while in prison, “was abducted in the middle of the night and turned blindfolded.”

For his parents, “the last time they saw their son was when he was thrown into the back of a Jeep” in February, Kadur said.

“There is no one with an adult,” said the carpenter’s uncle. “He is young and in our eyes as a family, we also believe that he is a seam because a 15-year-old child was taken from his bedroom at gunpoint, blindfolded and does not explain the additions.

Ahysmal conditions described in Israeli prisons

In an affidavit given to the family by his lawyer, the young man said the cells were too full;

Mohammed lost weight and suffered from a chronic infection, according to reports from the US Embassy shared with his family and obtained by the Associated Press.

“His health, mentally and physically, is a big question for the family,” said Kadur. In April, a teenager from the West Bank who was held without charge for six months in Megiddo prison, where Mohammed spent time, became the first Palestinian under the age of 18.

International children’s defense, his lawyer met with Mohammed, said the prisoners in Erer are given small portions of food during breakfast and breakfast, no fresh fruit. Shows are provided but only temporarily for a group of inmates and not everyone gets to bathe, the group said.

Mohammed’s mother lives in the West Bank, hoping that he will return to her, the group said, adding that they are afraid if they leave, Israel will not allow them to return.

The Israeli military, Shin Beary and Shin Beary domestic security agencies did not respond to AP requests for comment on Mohammed’s case. Israel’s prison service said it does not identify individual prisoners or provide information about their identity, legal status, location, or costs, due to privacy and security considerations.

The US State Department said in a statement that it is following Mohammed’s case closely and is working with the Israeli government on the matter. It said it had no further comment due to privacy and other concerns.

Among the Palestinians captured during the western attacks, some were released within days. But others, including youths, have been held without charge for months. Some Americans have faced increasing Israeli military incarceration. And at least as many Palestinian Americans have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the war.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip, in the 1967 war. The Palestinians want those territories for an independent independent state.

At Ater Prison, where Mohammed is currently being held, inmates who spoke to the AP reported poor food, overcrowding and frequent beatings by guards.

The youth’s affidavit states that he spent the first month of his arrest being interrogated in his camp – Israeli soldiers developed during the war in a house arrested in war in filthy conditions.

Kadur, Manzi’s uncle, said he did not ask other American citizens to be treated this way.

“I have to ask this question to our elected officials at any level, if his name wasn’t Mohammed, if he wasn’t Palestinian-American, would he still be here?” Kadur said.

“The real question is why is a 16-year-old child who is starving and has skin disease still around after coming home to a football game or getting his permit?”

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Martin reported from Atlanta and Frankel from New York.