Palestinian refuses to leave Israel jail ahead of deportation from Jerusalem

Palestinian mother of three, Ebtisam Obaid, yesterday rejected an Israeli court decision to release her on the condition of leaving the city of Jerusalem under the pretext that she lives in the city illegally.

Her lawyer, Ya’qub Jabr, said the  Israeli Magistrate’s Court has ordered Obaid be released on the condition that she leave Jerusalem, were she has lived for the past 16 years with her husband and three children, and move to the occupied West Bank. Obaid refused the decision as she will be separated from her family who live in the occupied city of Issawiya, northeast of Jerusalem.

Jabr added that over the years, Obaid has attempted to obtain the Jerusalem ID and residency but her request has been repeatedly denied for what occupation authorities have said are “security reasons”.

The Israeli police arrested Obaid and her husband Wassim from their home on Tuesday.

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