Former Knesset member Mohammed Barakeh was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of inciting terrorism during a rally, questioned for about four hours, and released under restrictive conditions. Police said the case concerns public remarks he made in 2022, when he was serving in a public role, and that the investigation began after a complaint and the required approvals from the prosecution.
According to the suspicion, Barakeh spoke at a December 2022 rally in Ramallah marking the 58th anniversary of Fatah’s founding, where he allegedly praised terrorists, compared Israel to a Nazi regime, and called for an armed struggle against the “occupation.” Police said the inquiry is being handled by the Samaria district unit, and that after his arrest and questioning, he was brought before a court for conditions including a 30-day ban on entering the West Bank, plus financial guarantees.
Barakeh served as an MK for Hadash from 1999 to 2015, later becoming deputy speaker of the Knesset and chair of the Anti-Drug Committee. After his parliamentary career, he was appointed head of the Higher Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, the position he held at the time of the 2022 speech.
Police said they would continue acting against incitement, support for terrorism, and expressions of solidarity with terrorists. In early November 2023, about two months after the October 7 massacre, Barakeh was detained along with other Arab public figures over an attempt to protest against the war in Nazareth. Hadash condemned Tuesday’s arrest as a “political and fascist arrest,” accusing the police of persecuting Barakeh and other Arab leaders and calling the move a deliberate provocation against those who oppose the occupation and support peace, equality, and a two-state solution.
