Tali Fahima
Encyclopedia
Tali Fahima is an Israeli
woman, who was convicted for her contacts with Zakaria Zubeidi
, Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
. She describes her nationality as Palestinian
.
She grew up in a single parent family of Moroccan Jewish
descent in Qiryat Gat
, a town in the south of Israel.
Until 2003 she was a Likud
supporter; she then read an interview in which Zubeidi described his transformation from peace activist to wanted terrorist; intrigued, she found Zubeidi's phone number, and spoke with him several times. When she learned that Zubeidi was at the top of Israel's list of intended assassinations, she decided to travel to Jenin and live in his home as a human shield. She became involved in the Palestinian children's project in Jenin which featured in the film Arna's Children
, along with Zubeidi before his imprisonment. She does not deny that she later met Zubeidi in Jenin
a number of times, but she denies any involvement in armed activities. In March 2004 she stated that she was prepared to act as a human shield
to protect Zubeidi. Both she and Zubeidi deny the allegation that they had a romantic relationship.
On 23 December 2005 she pleaded guilty to some less serious charges (including: translating a top secret
Israeli military document for Zubeidi) in a plea bargain which would have led to her early release. However, on 13 September 2006, the Parole Board ruled that she would not be released early, since she "acted in an insolent and rude manner toward prison guards."http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3303534,00.html
Tali Fahima was released in January 2007, a year earlier than her original sentence, for good conduct. Still, she is banned from leaving the country, contacting foreign agents or entering the Palestinian-controlled areas in the West Bank
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6227289.stm - limitations similar to those imposed on Mordechai Vanunu
after his own release from prison.
On April 23, 2007, she participated in an alternative torch-lighting ceremony for Israeli Independence Day, where she lit a torch in honor of Zubeidi.
In June 2008, Zubaidi, confined to Jenin in an amnesty agreement requested permission to travel to Ramallah for an eye operation. Tali Fahima thereupon attacked him as a "whore of the Shin Bet security service."
Nowadays, Tali lives in the Arab village Ar'ara
in northern Israel, and works as a Hebrew teacher. In June 2010, she converted to Islam
at a mosque in Umm al-Fahm
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
woman, who was convicted for her contacts with Zakaria Zubeidi
Zakaria Zubeidi
Zakaria Muhammad 'Abdelrahman Zubeidi is a former Palestinian militant leader, who recently ended his years on Israel's most-wanted list by handing over his guns to the Palestinian National Authority and accepting Israeli amnesty. He had been the Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and...
, Jenin chief of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
. She describes her nationality as Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
.
She grew up in a single parent family of Moroccan Jewish
History of the Jews in Morocco
Moroccan Jews constitute an ancient community. Before the founding of Israel in 1948, there were about 250,000 to 350,000 Jews in the country, but fewer than 7,000 or so remain.-Under the Romans:...
descent in Qiryat Gat
Qiryat Gat
Kiryat Gat , is a city in the Southern District of Israel. It lies south of Tel-Aviv, north of Beersheba and from Jerusalem. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 47,400....
, a town in the south of Israel.
Until 2003 she was a Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
supporter; she then read an interview in which Zubeidi described his transformation from peace activist to wanted terrorist; intrigued, she found Zubeidi's phone number, and spoke with him several times. When she learned that Zubeidi was at the top of Israel's list of intended assassinations, she decided to travel to Jenin and live in his home as a human shield. She became involved in the Palestinian children's project in Jenin which featured in the film Arna's Children
Arna's Children
Arna's Children is a 2003 Israeli/Dutch documentary film directed by Juliano Mer Khamis and Danniel Danniel about a children's theater group in Jenin in the Palestinian territories established by Arna Mer-Khamis, the director's mother, an Israeli Jewish political and human rights activist.The film...
, along with Zubeidi before his imprisonment. She does not deny that she later met Zubeidi in Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
a number of times, but she denies any involvement in armed activities. In March 2004 she stated that she was prepared to act as a human shield
Human shield
Human shield is a military and political term describing the deliberate placement of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets. It may also refer to the use of civilians to literally shield combatants during attacks, by forcing the civilians to march in...
to protect Zubeidi. Both she and Zubeidi deny the allegation that they had a romantic relationship.
On 23 December 2005 she pleaded guilty to some less serious charges (including: translating a top secret
Top Secret
Top Secret generally refers to the highest acknowledged level of classified information.Top Secret may also refer to:- Film and television :* Top Secret , a British comedy directed by Mario Zampi...
Israeli military document for Zubeidi) in a plea bargain which would have led to her early release. However, on 13 September 2006, the Parole Board ruled that she would not be released early, since she "acted in an insolent and rude manner toward prison guards."http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3303534,00.html
Tali Fahima was released in January 2007, a year earlier than her original sentence, for good conduct. Still, she is banned from leaving the country, contacting foreign agents or entering the Palestinian-controlled areas in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6227289.stm - limitations similar to those imposed on Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
after his own release from prison.
On April 23, 2007, she participated in an alternative torch-lighting ceremony for Israeli Independence Day, where she lit a torch in honor of Zubeidi.
In June 2008, Zubaidi, confined to Jenin in an amnesty agreement requested permission to travel to Ramallah for an eye operation. Tali Fahima thereupon attacked him as a "whore of the Shin Bet security service."
Nowadays, Tali lives in the Arab village Ar'ara
Ar'ara
Ar'ara , is an Israeli Arab town in the Wadi Ara region in the Galilee. It is located south of Umm al-Fahm just northwest of the Green Line and is part of the Triangle...
in northern Israel, and works as a Hebrew teacher. In June 2010, she converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
at a mosque in Umm al-Fahm
Umm al-Fahm
Umm al-Fahm is a city in the Haifa District of Israel with a population of 43,300, nearly all of whom are Arab citizens of Israel. The city is situated on the Umm al-Fahm mountain ridge, the highest point of which is Mt. Iskander , overlooking Wadi Ara...
.
External links
- "The lone warrior", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, August 12, 2005 - "Israel jails Jewish woman for meeting Palestinian militant", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- article on her release from Ha'aretz
- interview in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
following her release - Leftist Tali Fahima converts to Islam in Yedioth AhronothYedioth AhronothYedioth Ahronoth is a daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since the 1970s, it has been the most widely circulated paper in Israel. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Yedioth Ahronoth retained the title of most widely read newspaper in Israel...
- "Interview with Tali Fahima" from Oznik
- Tali Fahima's video blog on Flix, Tapuz
- "Mizrahi Woman, Palestinian Fighter: The Public Discourse Surrounding the Struggle of Tali Fahima." MA Tesis on "Kedma".