“Israel” Jails US Teen for 9 Months, Forces Confession as Washington Stays Silent

By Staff, Agencies

The “Israeli” entity is facing growing backlash after detaining 16-year-old Palestinian-American Mohammed Ibrahim from Florida for nine months in military custody, during which he was coerced into confessing under threat of violence.

According to The Guardian, the “Israeli” embassy in Washington has circulated a letter to US lawmakers defending Ibrahim’s prolonged detention and forced confession. The letter claims the teen admitted to throwing objects at vehicles on the night of his arrest, February 16. However, Ibrahim later swore in an affidavit that an interrogator threatened to have soldiers beat him if he refused to confess. “Out of sheer fear, I ultimately confessed,” he wrote.

The embassy’s statement omitted key facts, including Ibrahim’s dramatic weight loss and the near-total lack of contact with his family since his arrest. Footage reviewed by The Guardian reportedly shows the teenager being interrogated without a lawyer or guardian present.

The circulation of the embassy’s letter follows a demand from 27 Democratic lawmakers urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US ambassador to “Israel” to secure Ibrahim’s release. Senator Chris Van Hollen condemned the entity’s response, stating, “As is often the case with information from the Netanyahu government, this letter deals in half-truths and omits critical facts. The US government must make it a priority to free this American child.”

Despite the growing diplomatic pressure, Ibrahim remains held without a completed trial. Initially imprisoned at Megiddo and later transferred to Ofer, his court hearings have been repeatedly delayed, with the latest postponed until mid-December. A 2013 UNICEF report noted that “Israel” is the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes minors in military courts—with a conviction rate exceeding 99%.

The embassy asserted that Ibrahim had been medically examined multiple times and treated for scabies, yet a prison report confirmed a “low BMI” and a weight loss of roughly 25%. His family has been denied visits due to an “emergency directive” banning contact with so-called “security prisoners.”

The teen’s case underscores the “Israeli” entity’s pattern of targeting US citizens in occupied Palestinian territory with impunity—a record that stretches back decades.

In 2003, US peace activist Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an “Israeli” military bulldozer while trying to block the demolition of Palestinian homes in Rafah. Despite eyewitness accounts confirming she was clearly visible to the driver, “Israeli” authorities claimed she was accidentally buried by debris.

In 2022, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was deliberately shot and killed by an “Israeli” sniper in Jenin while wearing a press vest. Although US investigators determined that “Israeli” fire was “likely responsible,” Washington refused to hold the entity accountable. Former US investigator Colonel Steve Gabavics later confirmed the killing was intentional, but said his findings were suppressed by Washington to placate “Israel.”

More recently, in September 2024, Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was fatally shot by “Israeli” occupation forces in the West Bank while volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement. Witnesses reported that the soldier who killed her “shouted for joy” after the shooting. Yet again, Washington deferred to “Israel,” urging it to conduct its own investigation—while ruling out any independent US probe.

These recurring crimes reveal the enduring double standard at the core of US-“Israel” relations: while the entity targets even US citizens with lethal force, Washington’s response remains limited to hollow expressions of “concern,” ensuring impunity continues unchecked.