Israeli police raided two branches of a renowned bookshop [7] in occupied East Jerusalem early this week, seizing books [8] and arresting the owner and his nephew. Mahmoud and Ahmed Muna were accused of selling books that incite terrorism [9], and later charged [9] with disturbing public order. The family-owned Educational Bookshop is a Jerusalem landmark and cultural hub, and publishers [10], academics, and rights groups [11] came out to protest [12] and support the Munas and their shop. The rights watchdog B'Tselem said in a statement [13] that "the attempt to crush the Palestinian people includes the harassment and arrest of intellectuals… Israel must immediately release [Mahmoud and Ahmed Muna] from detention and stop persecuting Palestinian intellectuals." The Munas were held for two nights and released on five days' house arrest—but the family re-opened the shop even before that.
"They want to make us afraid. Not just us, they want to send a message to all Palestinian people," said Morad Muna [7], Mahmoud's brother. He said the re-opening was "the best reaction that we can do to such a situation."
From The New Humanitarian [16], Feb. 14
