RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 11, 2019 (WAFA ) – An elderly Palestinian man whose son was shot dead by Israeli soldiers and other sons and wife arrested by Israel was released today from Israeli custody after serving four months in administrative detention without charge or trial, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS).

Omar Barghouti, 66, from the Ramallah-area village of Kobar, was detained the night his son, Saleh, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in an ambush near Ramallah on December 12 of last year after the son was accused of shooting and injuring Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

After undergoing intensive and brutal interrogation at the Russian Compound police station in West Jerusalem for several weeks, ailing Barghouti was placed under administrative detention for four months.

His wife, Suhair Barghouti, and two of his sons were also later detained and held for several weeks before they were released.

Another son, Assem, who was charged with shooting and killing two Israeli soldiers a day after his brother, Saleh, was shot dead, was later arrested after he was on the run and is currently held in prison. Assem’s house was also demolished by the army as a punishment.

Omar Barghouti was taken from his prison at Ofer detention center near Ramallah in an ambulance because he was not able to walk due to a deteriorating health condition, diabetes and high blood pressure he suffered during his detention.

After undergoing treatment at Ramallah hospital, he was sent home.

Barghouti had previously served a total of 26 years in Israeli jails for his resistance of the Israeli occupation.

M.K.