Israeli forces 'terrorise' the family of Palestinian killed after Jerusalem shooting

Israeli forces have "terrorised" the family of a Palestinian man who was killed on Sunday after opening fire on Israelis in Jerusalem, his brother-in-law has told The New Arab.

Fadi Abu Shkheidem was shot dead by Israeli forces after he fired at Israelis with an automatic weapon near the Al-Aqsa compound, leaving one Israeli man dead and several Israeli police officers injured, according to reports.

Shortly after, Israeli police began to "terrorise" his family, detaining his eight-year-old son without charge, his brother-in-law, Muhannad Abu Rumi, said.

"Israeli police called his two brothers and summoned them to the Mascobiyyah interrogation centre in Jerusalem where they were interrogated for several hours," Abu Rumi told The New Arab.

"After that... hundreds of [Israeli] soldiers raided Abu Shkheidem's home in the Shuufat refugee camp in Jerusalem.

"قوات الاحتلال تقتحم منزل منفذ عمـــلية القدس الشهيد الشيخ فادي أبو شخـــيدم في مخيم شعفاط بالقدس المحتلة". pic.twitter.com/ToSyR7fxOi

— Lana Kamleh( لانا كاملة )اعلامية مقدسية فلسطينية (@LanaKamleh) November 21, 2021

"The Israeli police broke into the houses of Fadi and his two brothers, breaking and destroying the contents of the houses and searching them for nearly three hours. The purpose was not to search but to terrorise."

Among those detained were Abu Shkheidem’s eight-year-old son and his 20-year-old daughter, Aya, who were interrogated for several hours before being released.

Local sources: "The occupation intelligence summons the girl, Aya Abu Shkheidem, daughter of Sheikh Fadi, may God have mercy on him, for interrogation in Al-Maskobiya prison, hours after her release."

#فلسطين https://t.co/J5v2lP6xKx

— Juveria Muhammad (@juveriayildiz) November 22, 2021

The family’s lawyer, Madhat Dibeh, told The New Arab that Israeli intelligence interrogated Abu Shkheidem's children about their father's personal habits and family's private life.

"Both were released late on Sunday night, but Aya was arrested again for interrogation on Tuesday and released after several hours," he said.

Israeli forces also attacked the funeral tent that was set by Abu Shkheidem's family in the Suufat camp, with tear-gas canister and rubber bullets.

Abu Shkheidem's wife, who was visiting her family in Jordan at the time, was arrested by Israeli forces on her way back at the Allenby border crossing on Monday morning and is still being held, according to Dibeh.

Muhannad Abu Rumi, described his brother-in-law as "a family man" and a "community activist".

"[He] helped young people and organised several campaigns against drugs in the Shuufat refugee camp. He had good relations with all residents from all political affiliations and was highly respected," he said.

"Fadi was present at Al-Aqsa compound and witnessed settler raids to the holy site on a daily basis. He saw house demolitions and violations against Jerusalemites every day and was deeply concerned by that."

Abu Shkheidem is the second Palestinian to be killed in Jerusalem in less than a week after 16-year-old Omar Abu Assab was shot dead on Wednesday in Jerusalem's Old City after allegedly trying to stab two Israeli policemen.