IDF: Palestinian family who fought soldier is known to us

Sister of boy at center of tussle received Turkish award in 2012 for screaming at Israeli soldier in viral video

A'hd Tamimi, sister of the boy whose attempted arrest by an Israeli soldier led to a West Bank scuffle on August 28, faces up to a soldier in 2012 (Screen capture via YouTube)
A'hd Tamimi, sister of the boy whose attempted arrest by an Israeli soldier led to a West Bank scuffle on August 28, faces up to a soldier in 2012 (Screen capture via YouTube)

A Palestinian family filmed Friday grappling with an Israeli soldier is known for repeatedly provoking troops, the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday.

The video of the soldier being attacked Friday by women and children near the village of Nabi Saleh, as he tried to arrest a 12-year-old boy for throwing stones, has received some two million views on social media.

Members of the Tamimi family had been involved in previous scuffles with the army, and 12-year-old Mohammed’s sister, A’hd, was given an award by Turkey for her harassment of an Israeli soldier in a viral 2012 video, Channel 2 reported.

“This is not the first time that the Tamimi family has clashed with IDF soldiers,” the army said, adding that the family often provoked soldiers in a violent manner during regular Friday demonstrations in Nabi Saleh.

A Palestinian girl (left), bites the hand of an Israeli soldier (center), during clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters, in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh near Ramallah, August 28, 2015. (AFP/Abbas Momani)
A Palestinian girl (left), bites the hand of an Israeli soldier (center), during clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters, in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh near Ramallah, August 28, 2015. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

In the footage last Friday, the soldier appears to forcefully restrain Mohammed Tamimi, whose arm is in a cast. On several occasions, he grabs the child around the neck, and presses his head against a boulder to keep him still.

A group of women and children, including A’hd and and her mother, begin fighting with the soldier, punching him repeatedly while he holds down the boy. At one point, A’hd bites his hand.

Footage of previous incidents shows A’hd screaming and cursing at Israeli soldiers on two separate occasions.

As a 13-year-old, A’hd gained fame among Palestinian activists in a November 2012 incident in which where she led a group of children, including her brother Mohammed, in arguing with Israeli soldiers. In a video of the incident she can be seen raising her balled fist at a soldier.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised her and gave her a “Courage Award” in Istanbul. A’hd encouraged Erdogan to support boycotts of Israel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax-Jk2iJL0k

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

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