Philly Plain Dealer

On Aug. 12,  American citizen Hussein Jabarin was detained alongside 15 other members of the Jabarin family when their farm in the occupied West Bank was raided by Israeli forces. Hussein, who was visiting family in Palestine at the time, was released the evening of Aug. 16 after spending four days in captivity, despite not being charged with a crime. The husband and father of two is expected to be returning to the states in the coming days, where he will reunite with his family in Northeast Philadelphia. According to the International Middle East Media Center, the detainment of Jabarin and his family was part of wider spread Israeli military action against civilians in the occupied West Bank, which resulted in the theft of “more than 100 sheep” as well as vandalization of local infrastructure at the hands of Israeli settlers. 

Jude Husein, sister-in-law to Jabarin, spoke with the Philadelphia Plain Dealer on how the detainment has impacted their family here in Philly. “He’s just a neighborhood kind of guy.” Husein said of Jabarin. “He’s a small business owner. He loves to sit outside on the lawn and chat with his neighbors.” When they first heard of Jabarin’s detainment, Hussein says the initial reaction was shock and fear. “You see all of the stories and lived experiences, not just of Palestinians but of Americans, who have died in detention. We were filled with fear, it was turmoil for us.” As of the interview, Husein and her family have not had a chance to speak with Jabarin, whose phone was taken during his detainment. 

According to Husein, this is not the first time the Jabarin family has dealt with abuse from Israeli forces. “They’ve spent months dealing with violent Israeli settlers coming to harass them, assault them, steal their livestock. This is the reality for Palestinians.” Jabarin’s ordeal is not the first time an American citizen from Philadelphia has faced violence while visiting occupied Palestine. On Feb. 18, 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam was murdered by Israeli settlers in the West Bank while defending his family’s livestock, prompting demands from elected officials for a federal investigation into his death. 

Husein, an activist and civic figure within Philadelphia who recently launched a campaign for City Councilmember At Large, says the release of her brother-in-law was a victory of people-powered advocacy. “We didn’t hear any response from [US Senator John] Fetterman, who was notified, nor from Senator [Dave] McCormick, which was such a disappointment. It’s such a shame that a neighbor, a taxpayer, and a father represented by them [was detained] and they had no comment whatsoever. Neighbors won’t forget this.” Husein also mentions that “The least our local state and federal representatives should do is acknowledge that there are Philadelphians, Americans, who are hurting. There is a violation of human dignity and human rights, and if we can’t just say that publicly, then it’s a big shame.” US Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-12) and the Philadelphia branch of Democratic Socialists of America both posted about Hussein’s detainment on their Instagram pages.

In a statement on Aug. 17, the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called for accountability for Jabarin’s detainment. “The detention of an American citizen for days without charge, explanation or due process should concern every American,” said Ahmet Tekelioglu, Executive Director of CAIR-Philadelphia. “The United States government has a responsibility to defend the rights and dignity of all of its citizens. That responsibility cannot depend on their religion, ethnicity, political views or whether they are detained by an ally or an adversary.” Neither the United States federal government nor the Israeli Government have issued a statement on Jabarin’s detainment.

”We really need to start questioning people’s morals on this front.” Husein said. “Without a single public statement from any of our representatives or elected officials, [Jabarin] was freed due to pressure from the people. It’s a shame that we have to do their jobs for them every single time.” In a statement released through CAIR-Philadelphia, Husein added “Our communities, our organizing, our Philadelphia won today. I am proud of the hundreds and thousands of people we have touched locally and nationally through our advocacy, and this is just the start.” CAIR-Philadelphia has called on the US State Department to launch an investigation into the circumstances of Jabarin’s detention and to defend his homecoming process. In response to the silence from state representatives and lawmakers, Husein has only one question: “What are you in public service for?” As of Aug. 17, there has been no public response from Pennsylvania state officials regarding Jabarin’s detainment.