Israeli Occupation Forces raided the internationally renowned Freedom Theater in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, December 13. They also arrested three of its members.
According to a statement issued by the theater, the Israeli forces ransacked the center and kidnapped and arrested the director Ahmed Tobasi and producer Mustafa Sheta from their homes. Both of them were beaten and tortured during the arrest. Israeli forces also ransacked Tobasi’s house.
Hours later Israeli forces also abducted Jamal Abu Joas from his house. Joas is a graduate of the Freedom Theater and an acting trainer and freelance photographer. Israeli troops confiscated his belongings including his phone and camera.
Mustafa Sheta’s wife Rasha said that Sheta was arrested at his home and handcuffed in front of their children “with no mercy or any consideration to our feelings”. She added, “My children spent their night crying. We felt so scared without him being around with us. We feel very sad for him being away, especially since we don’t know why he was arrested. We call for everyone who can help us to stand with my husband and release him from this occupation.”
Reports claim that Israeli forces fired inside the center building and also knocked down a wall of Freedom Theater’s office.
Tobasi, who was released later that day, stated that he was tortured during his captivity and that Israeli forces “treated like animals”. He claimed that his abduction and torture were part of Israeli attempts to “hurt us in any way they can”, but that “it is important we stay strong.”
“They treated us like animals. They are trying to hurt us in anyway they can, but its important we stay strong” – Ahmed Tobasi
Please demand the release of Mustafa Sheta & Jamal Abu Joas who are still detained
#Mayday Created by @freedom_theatre & @artistfrontline #جنين pic.twitter.com/mdOEtNZLzh— The Freedom Theatre (@freedom_theatre) December 14, 2023
The group demanded the release of all the people arrested during the three day raid on Jenin refugee camp.
According to Al-Jazeera, at least 12 people were killed and over 500 were arrested in the raids on Jenin which ended on Friday morning. The occupation forces destroyed the civic infrastructure in the camp which had been a target of Israel’s repeated aggression since October 7.
Freedom Theater claimed that at least three of its members, Yammen Jarrar (17), Jehad Naghniyeh (26) and Mohammed Matahen (30) have already been killed in the last few weeks by the Israeli occupation forces. Two more of its activists were murdered earlier this year.
The Freedom Theater office was bombed in July by the Israeli forces.
“For decades, Palestinian artists have been arbitrarily detained by Israel, sometimes for years, who also target and destroy cultural buildings, a war crime under international law,” the statement claimed.
The statement also noted that, “in the last few weeks in Gaza, an unprecedented number of writers, poets, theatermakers and journalists have been killed including Dr. Refaat Alareer who was deliberately targeted and murdered.”
Human rights and cultural groups issued statements in support of Freedom Theater and demanding immediate release of all the artists and stoppage of Israel targeting cultural activists.
