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Palestinian Bookshop in East Jerusalem Raided by Israeli Police

Two family members were detained and over 100 books confiscated during the raid, raising concerns over freedom of expression.

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Die inhaftierten Buchhändler Ahmad und Mahmoud Muna. Links in Hemd und mit kurzen Haaren der ältere. Rechts mit etwas längeren Haaren und in Mantel der jüngere. Sie sitzen.

Overview

  • The Israeli police raided the Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem, citing allegations of selling material supporting terrorism.
  • During the operation, officers used Google Translate to interpret book titles in Arabic and English, confiscating over 100 books, though most were later returned.
  • Among the seized materials was a children's coloring book titled 'From the River to the Sea,' which carries a nationalist Palestinian slogan.
  • Mahmoud and Ahmad Muna, family members and operators of the bookshop, were detained and accused of disturbing public order, a charge their lawyer criticized as unprecedented for such arrests.
  • The raid has drawn international criticism, including from German Ambassador Steffen Seibert, who expressed concern over the implications for freedom of expression and democratic values.