The five were arrested on Sunday night on the path between Kiryat Arba and Hevron, where a group of youths attempted to rebuild a shack. The site, located on "Worshipers Way," is across the street from where 12 men, including three civilians and 9 officers and soldiers, were killed by Palestinian terrorists two and a half years ago.
The police accused the girls of attacking them; a film of the arrest produced by the Hevron Jewish Community indicates otherwise.
One of the 13-year-olds who was arrested is Yiscah Federman, daughter of Noam and Elisheva Federman. "The police saw us and arrested us, for no cause, except our presence at the site," she told them. "We weren't doing anything."
However, they took strong action afterwards. Yesterday morning, the girls were taken before Judge Cohen, who ordered them to sign an affidavit forbidding them to be anywhere near the Hevron Heroes neighborhood - the site of the shack - for 90 days. The girls refused, and the judge ordered them held in jail overnight.
This morning, Justice Cohen called the girls into his courtroom one by one, and asked them if they understood that if they continue to refuse to sign the declaration, they would spend all of Passover behind bars. Each girl answered that she understood. He then asked them if they would sign, and they all refused, one at a time. Judge Cohen decreed, "Then you will remain in prison until further notice."
According to several experts on Israeli judicial proceedings, there is no precedent for such a ruling, and it is essentially illegal. "They can't just leave minors in prison indefinitely. It's simply absurd," one said. At present, the girls are being held at the Gush Etzion police station, and an appeal is being filed with the Jerusalem municipal appeals court.
The police accused the girls of attacking them; a film of the arrest produced by the Hevron Jewish Community indicates otherwise.
One of the 13-year-olds who was arrested is Yiscah Federman, daughter of Noam and Elisheva Federman. "The police saw us and arrested us, for no cause, except our presence at the site," she told them. "We weren't doing anything."
However, they took strong action afterwards. Yesterday morning, the girls were taken before Judge Cohen, who ordered them to sign an affidavit forbidding them to be anywhere near the Hevron Heroes neighborhood - the site of the shack - for 90 days. The girls refused, and the judge ordered them held in jail overnight.
This morning, Justice Cohen called the girls into his courtroom one by one, and asked them if they understood that if they continue to refuse to sign the declaration, they would spend all of Passover behind bars. Each girl answered that she understood. He then asked them if they would sign, and they all refused, one at a time. Judge Cohen decreed, "Then you will remain in prison until further notice."
According to several experts on Israeli judicial proceedings, there is no precedent for such a ruling, and it is essentially illegal. "They can't just leave minors in prison indefinitely. It's simply absurd," one said. At present, the girls are being held at the Gush Etzion police station, and an appeal is being filed with the Jerusalem municipal appeals court.