The European Union (EU) has expressed concern about the ongoing detention of Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith, who was arrested by Israel earlier this month on “terrorism” charges.
In a statement on Tuesday, EU Representative to Eastern Jerusalem Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff said Ghaith has been recently arrested for the 18th time since he took office and was transferred this time for detention inside Israel.
“The EU has always called for the full respect of bilateral agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) particularly with regard to East Jerusalem,” he stressed.
“We have also repeatedly called on Israel to respect international humanitarian law and human rights obligations towards all prisoners,” Burgsdorff added.
The detention of Palestinians, who are “protected persons" under Article 4 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, in prisons in Israel is in contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of prisoners outside of occupied territory, he explained.
Burgsdorff further noted that detainees have the right to be informed about the charges underlying any detention, must be granted access to legal assistance and be given a fair trial within a reasonable time or be released.
Ghaith, who was appointed by President Mahmoud Abbas in 2018, was arrested on July 19 at his home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan and was questioned by Israel's domestic security agency, the Shin Bet, in Ashkelon prison.
On Friday, an Israeli court extended his remand by seven days without revealing the charges against him.
Lawyers say Ghaith faces charges of violating Israel’s sovereignty enforcement law, working for the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem and is suspected of “planning an act of terrorism.
