Israel frees 'Hezbollah and Hamas-linked' Jordanian citizens, held for months without charge

Israel has released al-Labadi, on hunger strike for 41 days, and Miri, who has cancer, from administrative detention where they allege to have also been tortured, after pressure from Jordan.

MENA

3 min read

The New Arab

06 November, 2019

Hiba al-Labadi flashes the victory sign as she crosses into Jordan [Getty]

Two Jordanian citizens arrived back in Jordan on Wednesday after being released by Israeli authorities, who had detained them for months without charge.

Hiba al-Labadi, 24, and Abdul Rahman Miri, 32, both of Palestinian descent, crossed into Jordan via the King Hussein Bridge to be greeted by their families, officials and crowds of supporters.

The pair were transferred to the capital Amman for health tests before being allowed to return to their family homes.

Upon their release, the former head of Israeli security Avi Dichter said Al-Labadi and Miri's detention had been due to their links with Hezbollah and Hamas respectively, claiming that their detention had prevented the militant groups from carrying out attacks in Israel.

Dichter added that the pair's release was after a deal was reached between the countries' political leadership.

A photo purported to be of Al-Labadi holding a Hezbollah flag was circulated on social media after Dichter's statements.

The plight of the two administrative detainees gained international attention after Al-Labadi launched a hunger strike on 24 September in protest of her detention without charge or trial and torture and interrogations at the hands of the Israeli forces.

Twitter Post

Al-Labadi was detained on 20 August while crossing into Israel with her family to attend a wedding.

Miri was detained at the King Hussein crossing, also known as the Allenby Bridge, while travelling to a wedding on 2 September.

Miri suffers from cancer and is in urgent need of medical care after receiving none in prison, while Labadi's health has significantly deteriorated as a result of her hunger strike.

Comment: Palestinian hunger strikers: The frontline of an imprisoned nation

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' Affairs in October released disturbing details of the alleged torture suffered by Hiba Al-Labadi at the hands of Israeli authorities.

The department published a statement by al-Labadi from 29 September in which she reported being verbally, physically, and psychologically abused by the interrogators and guards in the various prisons in which she has been held in administrative detention since 20 August.

Israel's widely condemned policy of administrative detention allows for open-ended imprisonment of those accused of security offenses, without having to file charges or giving trials.

Israeli and Jordanian authorities reached an agreement for the pair's release on Monday, following increasing pressure from Jordan, including the recall of its ambassador in Tel Aviv.

More than 400 Palestinians are being currently being held under the policy.

Jordan is one of only two Arab countries - along with Egypt - to have a peace treaty with Israel.