Silwan, Jerusalem (SILWANIC) -- Local youth Mosa Muhammad Abu Khder has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by the?dsitrict Court of Jerusalem, following a lengthy trial and 9 months house arrest. Khder faced charges of throwing stones at the new light rail system in Jerusalem that exclusively connects Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem with predominantly Jewish West Jerusalem, serving no Palestinian neighborhoods. The rail system has come under heavy criticism by human rights groups and foreign governments, and has been the successful target of a divestment campaign led by Palestine solidarity activists.
Khder?s family have denounced the sentence as both disproportionate and unexpected, saying that it is likely the judge sought to make an example of their son. ?It is an exaggerated ruling ? no humans were injured, it was only a train doing a test run. The only damage caused was to a window.? The family plans to appeal the decision in the High Court. The family?s lawyer had initially requested that Mosa do community service in exchange for a prison sentence, a request that was agreed to by his parole officer but refused by the judge. With Mosa currently expected to begin serving his sentence in July, his family wait nervously for the next appeal, or this year?s Ramadan will be without him.
Khder was arrested on 4 August 2011 during the month of Ramadan along with 6 other youth from the same neighborhood, a few of whom have since been acquitted, while one other (Muhammad Abed Abu Khder, 16) received a 2 month sentence.
Mosa told Silwan the details of his arrest by Israeli forces: ?[they] broke into our home to arrest me, then took me to Maskubiye police station. It was there I was accused of throwing stones at the train in Shuafat. The psychological pressure they exerted on me forced me to admit to their accusations. Several court sessions later I was released on a 3,000 NIS bail, and a 10,000 NIS guarantee. Then I was sentenced to house arrest.?
Mosa?s mother states that: ?The whole thing has been very hard on the family?s situation. Arresting a young man puts his whole life on hold ? he used to work with his dad which helped our family?s expenses a great deal. He helped me too, buying the groceries ? now he can?t do any of that, it?s like we were imprisoned with him. Under the house arrest sentence the court ruled that one of his parents had to stay home with him at all times. Mosa suffered from depression during this period ? the whole family suffered.?
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