Amona
AmonaHezki Baruch

Six Jewish minors who were arrested last night as they stood at a junction in Samaria were released by police of the city of Ariel in Samaria.

The minors had apparently been arrested when army watchmen suspected that the six were throwing rocks at passing Arab cars; however, they were released after no evidence could be found against their claim that they had not engaged in rock-throwing.

Attorney Nati Rom, representing the youth as part of the Honenu organization, which represents Jews accused by the State of nationalistic action against Arabs, reported that the minors sat in jail for close to ten hours - for a sentence which turned out to be based on a false premise.

In addition, before being freed from jail, the youth were warned by police officials not to get close to the community of Amona.

Honenu claims that this demand is illegal.

“At this moment, there is no reason to prevent arrival to Amona. It cannot be that police make their own rules and warn citizens not to get close to a community, damaging freedom of expression and protest. We’re talking about conduct which opposes the decision of the courts,” Honenu said.

Honenu referred to the decision of Deputy Chairman of the Jerusalem District Court, Moshe Drori, who had ruled on the matter of two youth arrested at a demonstration for Amona.

Drori strongly criticized police and the magistrate court, which had placed a distancing order on the youth forbidding them from getting close to the area. Drori established that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, and that it is forbidden that the court and police should violate this right.