US-Palestinian Student Sama Safi Detained by Israel Without Charge
A US-Palestinian student, Sama Safi, 20, has reportedly been detained by the Israeli military for almost two weeks without official charges. This detention has triggered deep concern from her family and several US legislators, particularly regarding the chronic health condition she suffers from.
Safi, a psychology student at Birzeit University in the West Bank, was arrested during a pre-dawn raid at her family home on 2 June. An Israeli military spokesperson stated that Safi, along with three other women, was detained on allegations of “promoting hostile terrorist activities,” although no formal evidence or charges have been presented to a court to date.
Safi’s family revealed that the young woman suffers from a chronic autoinflammatory disease that requires routine care and specific medication. The condition can cause debilitating fevers and extreme pain. Before her detention, Safi had only recently begun recovering after being bedridden for several months.
Although representatives from the US Embassy in Jerusalem visited Safi and reported that she is in good condition, her family maintains that the medication provided in the detention centre is inadequate to manage her medical condition properly.
The case has drawn attention in Washington. Senators Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley, and Chris Van Hollen, along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, have voiced demands for Safi’s immediate release. They previously successfully advocated for the release of Mohammed Ibrahim, a US-Palestinian teenager who was detained for nine months.
Human rights lawyer Lea Tsemel, representing Safi, stated that her client became a target after information was allegedly extracted by force from other previously detained students. Tsemel denied Safi’s involvement in the Qutub student organisation, which is banned by Israel.
“Sama knows she has done nothing wrong,” said Tsemel. However, she highlighted the trend of Israel’s use of administrative detention, where thousands of Palestinians are held without clear legal processes.
A spokesperson for the US State Department stated that the administration is monitoring the situation seriously. “When American citizens are detained abroad, the Department advocates for access to adequate medical care and seeks consular access as quickly as possible,” they said.
As of the time of this report, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has not provided an official comment regarding the detention of Sama Safi. A follow-up hearing to determine Safi’s legal status is scheduled for Sunday (14/6).