(May 4, 2023)

But this time around, Adnan wasn’t put in administrative detention. It seems the Israeli military apparatus had learned a lesson: It was unwilling to relinquish its ability to repeatedly deny his freedom, separate him from his family and upset their life. But this time, the military apparatus indicted him, not for terrorism or the use or possession of a weapon, but for membership in an illegal organization and incitement. Had he pleaded guilty, he’d probably have been sentenced to a year or a bit more in prison.

But Adnan decided to challenge the facade of normalcy of the Israeli military legal system. This is a system that has unlimited power to deny the freedom of thousands of Palestinians to speak, express an opinion, participate in a meeting, welcome a released prisoner, receive a phone call or accept a donation for education or medical treatment for the children of prisoners or killed activists.