Israeli police officer in east Jerusalem. (photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
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Jerusalem Police on Sunday briefly detained Palestinian Authority Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, Fadi al-Hidmi.
His lawyer, Muhanad Jbarra, said the arrest was connected to the recent visit to the Temple Mount, or Noble Sanctuary, by Chilean President Sebastain Pinera.
Hidmi, a resident of East Jerusalem, was one of several Palestinian officials who accompanied Pinera on his tour of the holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Pinera later apologized to President Reuven Rivlin for allowing Palestinian officials to accompany him during the visit.
Israel had approved Pinera’s visit, but the Foreign Ministry presumed he would do so, as is customary, together with representatives of the Wakf Department, which is in charge of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.
Agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinians prohibit the PA and its representatives and institutions from operating in Israel, including east Jerusalem.
The Chilean president’s visit drew criticism from Israel.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the government “takes seriously any infringement of Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount, especially one that violates an agreed-upon procedure.” He added: “We must distinguish between absolute freedom of worship that Israel safeguards and ensuring that our sovereignty over the Temple Mount is not harmed.”
Hidmi, who previously served as director-general of the (east Jerusalem) Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was recently appointed minister for Jerusalem affairs in the new PA government headed by Mohammed Shtayyeh.
He replaced Adnan Husseini who, like Hidmi, belongs to a prominent east Jerusalem family.
Since his appointment, the UK-educated Hidmi has been holding meetings with many east Jerusalem residents, merchants, business leaders and political activists to discuss the problems facing Arab neighborhoods.
On Sunday morning, police officers arrived at Hidmi’s home in the neighborhood of al-Suwaneh, near the Mount of Olives, and took him to the Police Headquarters at the Russian Compound.
The lawyer, Jbarra, said that Hidmi was interrogated about his activities in the city, including his role in the Chilean president’s visit to the Temple Mount. Hidmi was released unconditionally a few hours later, he said.
“This was a political arrest to appease the extreme Right in Israel,” Jbarra claimed.
Shtayyeh said in response to the detention of his cabinet minister that the PA government will “remain committed to its duties towards the holy city and will continue its developmental activities there.”
Shtayyeh accused Israel of targeting any Palestinian “who works for Jerusalem and its people.” He urged the international community to pressure Israel to free the minister. He also called for condemning Israeli policies and measures in Jerusalem and “ongoing attempts to Judaize the city and forge its identity.”
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