Israeli court jails Palestinian WAFA journalist Rasha Herzallah for six months

Rasha Herzallah, 39, had worked for Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) at the time of her arrest last June.

LONDON — An Israeli military court sentenced on Sunday the Palestinian journalist Rasha Herzallah to six months in jail and issued a fine of 13,000 shekels ($3,300).

Herzallah, 39, was working for the official Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) at the time of her arrest last June, when she was summoned for an investigation at the Israeli Huwwara detention center north of the occupied West Bank.

Her detention was extended five times before a charge of “incitement on social media” was brought in court.

She is the sister of Muhammad Herzallah, who died from his wounds in November 2023 after being shot in the head by Israeli forces during a raid of Nablus city, WAFA reported.

Herzallah’s court hearing was held at the Israeli Salem military base near Jenin, her family told WAFA. She is expected to be released from prison on Dec. 1.

She is among 94 Palestinian journalists currently detained in Israeli jails since Oct. 7, 2023.

WAFA reported that four female journalists, including Herzallah, Rola Hassanin, Bushra Al-Tawil, and Amal Shujaiyah, a journalism student from Birzeit University, remain in Israeli detention.

AN, Nov 17, 2024