Israel arrests Palestinian singer on charges of 'incitement and support for Palestine'

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli police arrested a Palestinian singer from the city of Nazareth on charges of incitement and support for Palestine.

The police said in a statement, a copy of which was sent to Anadolu on Tuesday, that the northern police arrested Dalal Abu Amna, an influential singer with over 300,000 followers, on suspicion of "praise and incitement."

The statement added that "she was arrested yesterday (Monday) following the appearance of a number of posts on social media.”

The police said Abu Amna is one of the influential figures in Arab society, claiming that some of her posts and appearances on various media outlets were “against the State of Israel and in support of Palestine.”

"The suspect was referred to the police station, where she was investigated and arrested on suspicion of behavior that might violate public security and public safety," according to the statement.

“She will be referred later today (Tuesday) based on a police request to extend her detention in the Nazareth Magistrate's Court," it added.

Anadolu was unable to obtain immediate comment from the detainee’s lawyer.

Following Israel's war on Gaza, Israeli police have increased their persecution of Palestinians for their social media posts.

The Israeli police announced in a statement on Monday that 40 Palestinians have been arrested in East Jerusalem on the basis of “incitement,” since the start of its war on Gaza.

Abu Amna describes herself on her Instagram page, which has 309,000 followers, that she is “a Palestinian singer, producer, and doctoral researcher in brain sciences.”

Abu Amna was born in the Israeli city of Nazareth in 1983. She is married to the poet and doctor Anan Abbasi, with whom she has two sons.

She began singing traditional Palestinian songs at school concerts, and social and community events when she was 13 years old.