Israel on Friday released a Palestinian woman on bail after she was charged with assaulting an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank following a viral video of the incident. Nour Tamimi, 20, was released early on Friday from a military prison after a court rejected the prosecution's appeal against her release, her father Naji Tamimi told AFP.
Her cousin Ahed Tamimi, 16, and Ahed's mother Nariman Tamimi remain in custody, after they were also charged following the video of the cousins slapping and kicking two soldiers last month. Nour was allowed to return to her home in the village of Nabi Saleh in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after posting a bail of 5,000 shekels ($1,450, 1,200 euros).
A guarantor vouched she would show up for her court proceedings, set to begin on February 12, her lawyer Gaby Lasky told AFP. The military appeals court ruled Nour would also have to sign in at an Israeli police station every Friday at noon. On Sunday, a military court charged Nour with aggravated assault of a soldier and disturbing soldiers carry out their duties.
Ahed's family says the December 15 incident that led to the charges occurred in the yard of their home in Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah. Israel's military said the soldiers were in the area to prevent Palestinians from throwing stones at Israeli motorists nearby.
A video that was shared widely on social media shows the cousins approaching two Israeli soldiers and telling them to leave before shoving, kicking and slapping them. The heavily armed soldiers do not respond in the face of what appears to be an attempt to provoke rather than seriously harm them.
They then move backwards after Ahed's mother Nariman becomes involved. On Monday, Ahed was charged with 12 counts, including assault. Her mother faces five charges, including incitement.
Ahed has been lauded as a hero by Palestinians who see her as bravely standing up to Israel's 50-year occupation of the West Bank. She has been involved in a series of previous confrontations, leading Israelis to accuse her family of using her as a pawn in staged provocations.
Palestinians however say she is engaged in legitimate resistance. Ahed and her mother are to remain in custody until at least Monday, when they will face another hearing.
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