France raids house and arrests nurse who volunteered in Gaza

Middle East Monitor
Fri, 06 Sep 2024 22:10 UTC

Imane Maarifi

The arrest of Imane Maarifi, a French nurse who spent 15 days in the Gaza Strip, sparked backlash Thursday in France.

Lawyer Rafik Chekkat, founder of the Islamophobia platform, said Maarifi was arrested in the morning at her home and taken into custody.

He criticized the arrest and said it took place at a time when French soldiers who fought in Gaza "enjoy total impunity."

Comment: They're also over in Ukraine fighting alongside the Kiev-juntas Nazis, who are engaged in terrorist attacks and the torture of POWs: Russia releases names of French mercenaries in Ukraine, includes son of a General of France's Armed Forces

Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the La France Insoumise, or France Unbowed (LFI) party, wrote that Maarifi has been released from custody.

"The search of the home in front of the family leaves no doubt about the desire to intimidate the voices that are raised to support the Palestinian people and demand an immediate ceasefire," he wrote on X.

Comment: Footage of Maarifi after being released:

Maarifi attended pro-Palestinian rallies in France to share her testimony about the crippling situation in Gaza.

She has also expressed her demand for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and a boycott of companies supporting Israel.

Maarifi, who is known as one of the first French nationals to enter Gaza since Oct. 7, spent 15 days at the European hospital in Khan Younis.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 40,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed and nearly 94,300 injured, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

Comment: The West-Israel's attacks against dissenters, and the organisations that dare provide them with a platform, appears to be escalating, and rather fast.

Just a week or so ago the UK arrested two prominent anti-genocide journalists under 'anti-terrorism' laws. Two weeks ago, France (likely at the behest of the the US) arrested Telegram CEO Durov.

And in the months prior to that: Scott Ritter; The Cradle; Judge Napolitano; Comedian Tadgh Hickey; and X was forced to shut down its offices in Brazil. And the list is not exhaustive. Notably, this is also occurring alongside numerous establishment-backed coup and assassination attempts, and the West-Israel significant escalations in the Middle East, as well as in Ukraine.

Although, the crackdown on citizens at home may be all the more alarming because it may signal just how brazen, and desperate the establishment have become, and how they no longer feel the need to hide their intentions from the general public whose support they supposedly rely on.

As for France, its crackdown is particularly notable in light of Macron's 'anti-democratic coup', and for which major protests are allegedly being organised.

The following is testimony from a Jewish American doctor working in Gaza:

"I had Gazan children that were shot by [Israeli] snipers - twice. Definitively. I have photographs of 2 children that were shot so perfectly in their chest, i couldn't put my stethoscope over their heart more accurately..and in the side of their head - the same child."