Protect the Protest in Palestine & Israel

Dear Friends,

Three weeks into the US–Israeli War on Iran, Israeli authorities have targeted Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) for online protest, old Facebook posts that display the Palestinian flag, and for attempting to report in Arabic on the War. With the overwhelming volume of news surrounding the war, these cases receive little attention beyond the local Arabic and Hebrew press. Nevertheless, they are significant, as they illustrate the extent of political persecution currently faced by PCI in Israel. These cases reflect a broader pattern of intimidation, silencing opposition to war and state policies, and the undermining of PCI’s fundamental rights to due process, protest, expression and the press in place since the onset of the War on Gaza.

Online protest. Adalah, together with the Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF), represented a PCI artist and activist who was arrested at his home on 2 March 2026 following the publication of a political analysis in Hebrew on his social media account regarding the assassination of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In the post, the activist stated that he disagreed with Khamenei on many issues, but he also expressed appreciation for him. The police interrogated the activist on suspicion of incitement and identification with a terrorist organization, as part of an investigation into alleged “violations related to security and public order” online. During his detention hearing on 4 March, Adalah and HRDF argued for his immediate release, asserting that his post constituted lawful political expression, did not include any call to action, and does not encourage violence. Despite the police request for a five-day hold, the Court decided to release him under restrictive conditions, including a five-day ban on posting on social media. While the state practices a pattern of strict criminal law enforcement against PCI for political social media posts, extremist expression by Jewish Israelis – including clear incitement to violence – very rarely receives the same response.

Displaying the Palestinian flag: On 4 March 2026, Israeli police raided the home of a PCI woman, handcuffed her, and arrested and interrogated her over an old Facebook post depicting her and her children with a Palestinian flag. The police demanded that she hand over the flag, claiming it had been used to commit an offense. Despite her explicit request, she was denied access to legal counsel and was later released with the condition of five days of house arrest. On 9 March, Adalah sent a letter to the police demanding the return of the flag and her confiscated phone, and after the police refused, Adalah went to court. Adalah argued that her Facebook posts are not illegal, rendering both the arrest and investigation unlawful; that displaying or possessing the Palestinian flag—especially within a private home—is not an offense; and that such arrests and investigations require prior approval from the State Attorney’s Office, which was not obtained. Adalah further argued that denying the woman access to legal counsel and retaining her belongings also violated her rights. After about two weeks, the flag and the phone were returned to the woman.

In a follow-up letter to Israeli authorities, Adalah called for immediate intervention to halt the unlawful arrests of PCI for possessing or displaying the Palestinian flag and for clear and binding instructions to prevent such practices. Adalah also demanded that incitement investigations not be opened without prior approval from the State Attorney’s Office, as required by law.

Reporting on the War: Since the onset of the War on Iran, Haifa Municipal inspection teams have repeatedly interfered with PCI journalists during live broadcasts and filming, preventing them from carrying out their work. These teams have issued threats of fines or damage to equipment, asserted baselessly that a municipal permit is required for filming, and even threatened arrest or physical assault. Meanwhile, the police confirmed on several occasions that there is no legal prohibition against filming or broadcasting and that journalists are subject to the standard censorship rules applicable to all media outlets. On 23 March 2026, Adalah and NGO partners petitioned the Haifa District Court seeking an immediate injunction to compel the Haifa Municipality to cease interference in the work of PCI journalists in the city. The petitioners argued that these practices violate the journalists’ rights to freedom of expression and press freedom, as well as their right to employment, and directly impact the rights of the PCI public to access information at this critical time, from a central location such as the city of Haifa. The petitioners further contended that Haifa Municipality’s conduct is both systematic and discriminatory, specifically targeting PCI journalists, while allowing other media professionals to broadcast from the same locations without interference.

During these unprecedented times, Adalah needs your support more than ever. Thank you in advance for your donation.

The Adalah team