BICOM

The Israeli military prosecutor in the West Bank reached a plea bargain agreement with Ahed Tamimi’s lawyer yesterday for her to receive an eight month sentence in return for a guilty plea.

Tamimi, aged 17, was filmed by her mother punching and kicking Israeli soldiers near her home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh. Tamimi’s parents have filmed her carrying out similar acts since she was a young girl.

Tamimi’s lawyer, Gaby Lasky, confirmed an agreement has been reached, saying that dropping some of the charges “is proof that Tamimi’s arrest in the middle of the night, and that the legal proceedings against her, were steps designed to settle scores”.

Tamimi was indicted for 12 charges relating to six incidents, where she was accused of attacking and throwing stones at security forces, participating in riots and inciting others to do the same. She has agreed to plead guilty to incitement, assault, and two offences of obstructing a police officer in the performance of his duty.

Tamimi has been in detention since January so will serve five more months in prison and pay a fine of 5,000 shekels if the deal is approved by the Israeli military court.

Tamimi’s mother, Nariman, will serve an eight month prison sentence and pay a fine of 6,000 shekels for her role in the incident and for inciting others via Facebook to carry out terrorist attacks.

Tamimi’s cousin Nur was sentenced to 16 days in prison with a 2,000 shekel fine.

Tamimi’s father Bassem justified her actions in an interview, saying: “I believe that as long as the occupation exists, this scene will recur again and again throughout Palestinian society.”

Many of Ahed Tamimi’s extended family member have been convicted of terrorism offences. Her aunt was part of the terrorist cell that carried out a suicide bombing in a pizza restaurant in Jerusalem in August 2001 that killed 15 people, including 7 children, and wounded 130.