Israel arrests Palestinian singer Dalal Abu Amneh for pro-Gaza social media post

JERUSALEM: Palestinian singer Dalal Abu Amneh has been arrested by Israeli police on charges of “incitement” following a Facebook post expressing support for Gaza.

The post, which featured a Palestinian flag with the caption “There is no victor but God,” was shared last Saturday by the artist’s media team, as confirmed by her lawyer, Abeer Bakr.

Bakr stated that the artist is currently under investigation, and no official decision has been made regarding an extension of her detention. Notably, Bakr stated that the intention to arrest her was evident even before any interrogation, as reported by the Arab 48 newspaper.

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The arrest unfolded after Israeli police received complaints against Israeli settlers for allegedly harassing Abu Amneh. Shai Glick, director of the Israeli right-wing activist group, has called on the President of the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) Uri Sivan to remove alleged Hamas supporters, including Abu Amneh, from the institute.

Meanwhile, Abu Amneh gained recognition for her efforts in revitalising traditional Palestinian heritage and folk music through music videos produced and aired on Al Araby 2 TV, a sister channel of The New Arab.

Known for her vocal support for Palestine, both within and outside of her music, Abu Amneh boycotted Dubai’s EXPO 2020 due to the UAE’s recent normalisation with Israel.

This incident is part of a broader trend, as Israeli police have conducted a series of arrests within the Palestinian community since the beginning of the Gaza war. Many of the arrests are linked to social media posts.

Additionally, Palestinians in Israel have reported job terminations and threats of expulsion from universities due to posts condemning the attacks on Gaza.