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State Dep’t says it’s ‘not OK’ that Israel detained another American teenager without informing us

Tariq Abu Khdeir in his Tampa home. (Photo: Alex Kane)
Tariq Abu Khdeir in his Tampa home. (Photo: Alex Kane)

The Israeli government’s persecution of the Abu Khdeir family in East Jerusalem is in the news. Even the State Department is concerned that the Abu Khdeirs “appear to be singled out for arrest.”

Yesterday Alex reported that since the lynching by Israeli settlers of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, in occupied Jerusalem on July 2 and the beating by Israeli police of his American cousin Tariq Abu Khdeir, 15, Israelis have arrested three other young members of the family.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, the men of the Abu Khdeir family continue to be picked up by the Israeli police… Three of Tariq’s young cousins remain in jail, as does another Palestinian-American named Mohamed Abu Nie picked up during protests in Jerusalem.

One of those Abu Khdeir cousins is an American “teenager” named Muhammad. His arrest came up at the State Department yesterday afternoon, thanks to AP’s Matt Lee.

MARIE HARF, State Department spokesperson: We can confirm that Muhammad Abu Khdeir, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on July 28th. The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem is providing consular assistance. A consular official visited him on August 14th. ..

We are concerned that U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem was not notified of his arrest by the Government of Israel. We are also concerned about the fact that members of the Khdeir family appear to be singled out for arrest by the Israeli authorities.

Lee: Do you know – so how did you find out about this if you weren’t notified?

MS. HARF: … we learned of it from his family…

Lee: So does that mean that he was held without you knowing about it from July 28th until August – roughly August 14th?

Lee: I think it was probably before August 14th, but it was for some time, and is not okay.

Lee: Is not okay?

MS. HARF: Correct….

Lee:… have the Israelis explained to you why this family seems to be [singled out]?

MS. HARF: Not to my understanding. The conversation is ongoing.

Tariq Abu Khdeir told Alex Kane that dozens of members of his extended family have been arrested. This Ma’an story from August 14 says that Israel has detained 600 Palestinians in East Jerusalem since the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir. And includes the names of nine Abu Khdeirs in a partial list of the most recent arrests:

Rami Fayiz Abu Khdeir, Muhammad Nidal Abu Khdeir, Abed Salih Abu Khdeir, Ahmad Farouq Abu Khdeir, Mousa Sufyan Abu Khdeir, Yahya Zakariyya Abu Khdeir, Abd al-Rahman Abu Khdeir, Omar al-Falah Abu Khdeir and Radi Abu Khdeir.

This family is clearly being singled out, and why? Well State is having an ongoing “conversation” with the Israelis. As we continue to fund the military occupation and the massacre in Gaza.

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No EXCUSE. None.

Just what are they doing in our embassy there– eating knishes and enjoying the view of Gaza? We should kick Dermer out and bring back our idiot, Dan Shapiro, from Israel.

That’s just for starters. If we could only be as moral and honest as Morales is……..

This is like the Mob. They can’t get to Tariq, who has the effrontery to speak up about his beating at their hands, so members of his family will be harassed, arrested and beaten for his action. Classy, these klan types.

Good Lord! How did that “not” get in there?

“Not okay”.

I can’t help but be impressed by the State Department’s language…”not okay”.

Why, if the Israelis keep this up…I bet the State Department will soon start saying…

Its not nice!

The fake outrage and stern reprimand from the State Department is hollow and does not ring true. If the US genuinely was outraged about Israel’s arrogance and crimes against it’s citizens, it can, and should, punish Israel and hold it responsible in many ways. We all know they say one thing and do another, when it comes to Israel.
All this, and they continue to arm it.

As for the three kids who belonged to the Kdeir family, who were “arrested” by the thugs in IDF uniform, they would never have been arrested if they had US citizenship, like your Tariq.