On January 21, Israel security forces arrested Mohanned Abu-Awwad on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity. This came as no small disappointment to many, as Abu-Awwad's father, Khaled, is one of the more prominent Palestinian peace activists.
The event sparked outrage among pro-P activists. Palestine Monitor declared that the "arrest of Mohannad suggests a calculated attempt by Israel’s security forces to destabilize Palestinian movements for peace." One diarist here suggested that the Abu-Awwad arrest showed that "the effort is to establish the futility of nonviolent resistance, that the Israeli authorities will respond with violence to any kind of resistance."
Unfortunately, we learn today that Mohanned Abu-Awwad actually was engaged in violence, and was not what he purported to be. To make matters worse, Abu-Awwad's ties to B'Tselem became an issue, as he was reported to be in possession of a B'Tselem camera.
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