US-Palestinian Student Sama Safi Detained by Israel Without Charge

A 20-year-old American-Palestinian student, Sama Safi, has reportedly been detained by the Israeli military for almost two weeks without formal charges. The case has sparked deep concern from her family and several US legislators, particularly regarding a chronic health condition she suffers from. Safi, a psychology student at Birzeit University in the West Bank, was arrested during a pre-dawn raid on her family home on 2 June. An Israeli military spokesperson stated that Safi and three other women were detained on suspicion of ‘promoting hostile terrorist activities’, though no evidence or formal charges have been presented in court to date. Safi’s family has revealed that the young woman suffers from a chronic autoinflammatory disease requiring routine care and specific medication. The condition can cause debilitating fevers and extreme pain. Before her arrest, Safi had just begun to recover after being bedridden for months. Although a representative from the US Embassy in Jerusalem visited Safi and reported she was in good condition, the family insists the medication provided at the detention centre is inadequate to properly manage her medical condition. The case has drawn attention in Washington. Senator Peter Welch, Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Chris Van Hollen, and Representative Ayanna Pressley have urged for Safi’s immediate release. They previously successfully advocated for the release of Mohammed Ibrahim, an American-Palestinian teenager who was detained for nine months. Human rights lawyer Lea Tsemel, who represents Safi, stated that her client was targeted after information was allegedly forcibly extracted from another previously detained student. Tsemel denied Safi’s involvement in the Qutub student organisation, which is banned by Israel. ‘Sama knows she did nothing wrong,’ Tsemel said, but highlighted the trend of Israel using administrative detention, where thousands of Palestinians are held without proper legal process. A US State Department spokesperson said the Trump administration is monitoring the situation seriously, stating, ‘When a US citizen is detained abroad, the Department advocates for access to adequate medical care and seeks consular access as quickly as possible.’ As of reporting, the Israeli Foreign Ministry had not issued an official comment on Safi’s detention. A follow-up hearing to determine her legal status is scheduled for Sunday.