Mizan: Their natural place is in serving the community and reconciling people, not behind bars
The Magistrate Court in the city of Acre extended the detention of reconciliation activists Saleh Lutfi and Adnan Barghil from Umm al-Fahm until Wednesday, November 20, 2024, following their arrest on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, on charges related to alleged offenses within their work in social reconciliation efforts.
Attorney Omar Khamaisi, director of the “Mizan” organization, which is following the case of the detainees, stated that the police had requested an extension of their detention for 12 days. However, the court decided to extend their detention until the following Wednesday after hearing from the defense team.
Khamaisi added that the charges against Sheikh Saleh and Mr. Adnan were related to disputes between parties involved in their reconciliation work, pointing out that “the police are handling the case with a misinterpretation of the law,” and that “the goal of these two men of reconciliation is to mediate and resolve disputes between conflicting parties, especially in light of the escalating violence and crime in the Arab community. Their role in combating violence serves as a crucial alternative to the authorities’ failure to fulfill their duties.”
Khamaisi confirmed that “we hope that Sheikh Saleh and Adnan will be released in the coming days once the police finish their investigations. Their natural place is in serving the community and reconciling people, not behind bars, especially since the reconciliation committee in Umm al-Fahm managed to resolve hundreds of disputes last year between conflicting parties.”
A large police force had raided the homes of Sheikh Saleh Lutfi in the “Khalayil” neighborhood and Mr. Adnan Barghil in the “Baraghla” neighborhood of Umm al-Fahm in the early hours of Wednesday, November 13. The police searched the homes and tampered with their contents.
The arrest of Lutfi and Barghil has sparked widespread condemnation within the Arab community, with several political and civil society groups issuing statements of protest. It is worth noting that Sheikh Saleh Lutfi, a leader of the Islamic movement in Palestinian territories inside Israel, has previously been subjected to harassment and persecution by the Israeli police, in addition to his ongoing work in reconciliation between people.
The Reconciliation Committee in Umm al-Fahm is considered one of the most active committees in the Arab community in resolving disputes. According to available data, the reconciliation office led by Sheikh Saleh Lutfi succeeded in resolving 280 disputes within Umm al-Fahm alone during the 2023-2024 period, in addition to settling hundreds of cases across Palestinian areas within Israel.
