Israel frees ‘youngest Palestinian’ girl prisoner at 12

By AFP - Apr 24,2016 - Last updated at Apr 24,2016

Sabha Al Wawi (right), Palestinian mother of 12-year-old Dima, who was imprisoned by Israel for allegedly attempting to carry out a stabbing attack, holds her daughter after her release from an Israeli prison, at Jabara checkpoint near the West Bank town of Tulkarem, on Sunday (AP photo by Majdi Mohammed)

TULKAREM, Palestinian Territories — Israel freed 12-year-old Palestinian Dima Al Wawi from prison on Sunday, more than two months after jailing her for an attempted stabbing attack.

Wawi was handed over to Palestinian authorities at Tulkarem crossing point into the northern West Bank, an AFP photographer said.

She was to travel from there to her family home near Hebron in the south of the territory.

She was arrested, wearing her school uniform, on February 9 at the entrance to a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank and found to be carrying a knife.

A wave of Palestinian knife, gun or car-ramming attacks has left 28 Israelis dead since last October, with 201 Palestinians killed over the same period, most of them while carrying out attacks.

Under a plea bargain with Israeli military prosecutors, Wawi pleaded guilty to attempted murder and possession of a knife and was sentenced to four months in an Israeli prison and a further six-week suspended sentence.

"She is the youngest Palestinian girl ever imprisoned," her lawyer Tariq Barghouth posted on Facebook.

Barghouth said that Wawi's defence team had asked the military court for her early release and it agreed.

According to Israeli military law, minors from age 12 can be charged, uniquely in the world according to United Nations children's agency UNICEF.

Israel is currently holding about 450 Palestinian minors, around 100 of whom are under 16.

Rate