Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Jun 24: Former Hadash chairman and ex-Knesset member Mohammad Barakeh was arrested by Israeli police on Tuesday on allegations of incitement to terrorism linked to a speech he delivered at a public rally in 2022.
According to Israeli police, Barakeh allegedly made remarks praising and identifying with terrorists and terrorist organisations during the speech. Following his arrest and questioning, the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court imposed a 30-day ban preventing him from entering the West Bank.
Judge Oded Moreno, who reviewed the case, said the investigation file indicated the existence of "reasonable suspicion" regarding the alleged offence.
Barakeh's legal team rejected the allegations, arguing that the speech constituted protected political expression.
"Barakeh is a politician who made a political speech. This is his political opinion, and political expression is protected to the fullest extent of the law," his defence stated, adding that political statements by Arab representatives should not be criminalised as incitement.
Arrest Followed Refusal to Attend Questioning
Police said Barakeh was detained after repeatedly refusing requests from officers in Ariel to appear for questioning voluntarily. He reportedly stated that he would not cooperate with what he described as the "occupation police" operating from the Ariel settlement and instead appointed the Adalah legal centre to represent him.
Authorities maintained that Barakeh was required to attend questioning like any other citizen. After further refusals, police proceeded with his arrest.
During the investigation, officers photographed and fingerprinted Barakeh and questioned him for approximately four hours.
Arab Leaders Condemn Move
The arrest drew criticism from Arab political groups and civil rights activists in Israel.
The Arab Higher Monitoring Committee, which coordinates political activity among Arab citizens and was previously chaired by Barakeh, described the investigation as a "politically provocative" move aimed at intimidating the Arab community.
The committee accused authorities of pursuing a campaign of political persecution intended to suppress legitimate political activity and silence opposition to policies related to occupation, discrimination and political repression.
Ja'far Farah, founder of the Mossawa Center for Arab Civil Rights and a senior Hadash figure, also criticised the arrest, calling it unnecessary and politically motivated.
He argued that reopening an investigation over a speech delivered in 2022 reflected an attempt by the government to create tensions with the Arab community amid broader political challenges.
The case has reignited debate in Israel over the balance between freedom of political expression and laws governing incitement, particularly in the context of Arab political activism and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.