Israeli Police Arrest School Principal Over 'Terrorist' Imagery

Israeli police on Sunday justified the arrest of Randa Abu Ziad, principal of the Al-Eizariya Girls' Basic School and a member of the municipal council, stating that images of "martyrs and prisoners" and the organization of national events within the school constituted "incitement" and "support for terrorism." Police claimed that intelligence led them to suspect the presence of materials deemed inciting, prompting a raid on the school in Al-Eizariya, east of occupied Jerusalem. During the raid, Abu Ziad, in her 50s, was arrested. Police stated they confiscated materials including photos of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, former Hamas political bureau chief Yahya Sinwar, and other figures described by Israel as "inciting." They also reported finding a map marking areas as "occupied territories" and images of Israeli security forces. According to police, when questioned about the photos, Abu Ziad responded, "Heroes of Palestine." She was initially taken to a police station in the Ma'ale Adumim settlement for interrogation. However, the Prisoners Affairs Information Office reported that Abu Ziad was later transferred to the Moscobiya prison in Jerusalem, with her detention extended until October 6 pending further investigation. Earlier, on Friday, the Jerusalem Governorate stated that Israeli forces arrested Abu Ziad at dawn, took her to the school to search its contents, damaging administrative facilities before transferring her to the Ma'ale Adumim interrogation center.