Israel arrests Palestinian governor of Jerusalem

Israel has arrested the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, over “illegal” activities and put him behind bars once again.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) official was arrested by Israel at least six times last year and seven times in less than 18 months.

“Adnan Ghaith was detained this morning for Palestinian activity in Jerusalem, which is illegal,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP news agency.

A video circulating on social media showed Ghaith, wearing rubber gloves and smoking a cigarette, escorted out of his occupied East Jerusalem home by police.

His lawyer, Rami Othman, said Ghaith, who was taken for questioning, was apprehended primarily due to Palestinian activity related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

It considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

Israel bans all PA activities in the city.

Two days after their arrest of the Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Fadi Al-Hidmi, the Israeli occupying forces today arrested the Governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, after storming into his house in Silwan in occupied East #Jerusalem. #COVID19 #Palestine pic.twitter.com/0YXWh4aOgk

— Palestine PLO-NAD (@nadplo) April 5, 2020

The PA has a minister for Jerusalem affairs and a Jerusalem governor located in al-Ram, on the other side of an Israeli wall that separates the city and the occupied West Bank.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli police also arrested the Palestinian minister for Jerusalem affairs for allegedly violating an Israeli ban on Palestinian political activities in East Jerusalem.

Fadi al-Hidmi was arrested at his home in Suwana neighbourhood near the Mount of Olives.