Thursday, August 6, 2009

Israel Imprisons Egyptian-American Student Activist

I was just speaking on the phone with Egyptian-American student activist Sarah Hawas who is being held in Israel's Ramle Prison/Immigration Detention Center. She has been in prison since August 2 after standing in solidarity with the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem - who are forcefully being evicted from their homes by Zionist settlers and Israeli forces.

Sarah said that Israeli authorities are threatening to have her deported to the US. Her lawyer is attempting to avert this deportation order.

She added that she is in good condition, although she is feeling "bored, depressed and very worried. In comparison to the conditions of refugees and migrants that they are holding here, I'm being treated relatively well."

She went on to say that "we need further campaigns in solidarity with Sheikh Jarrah. Locals are being kicked out of their homes, children under 12 years old are being beaten by Israeli security forces, and live ammunition was being fired at, and within, Palestinian homes."

Sarah is an undergraduate student of literature at the American University in Cairo.

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