Ibrahim was arrested by Israel in February, accused of throwing stones at its forces in the West Bank, an accusation his family denies. He was not formally charged, but was detained under what is known as “administrative detention,” a measure that allows individuals to be held indefinitely without trial.
This procedure is applied to thousands of Palestinians and a number of Arabs inside Israel. Earlier this year, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a decision to stop applying it to Jewish Israelis.
Ibrahim turned sixteen in prison, and his family reported that his health had deteriorated significantly, as he lost more than 20 pounds and contracted “scabies,” both of which are common symptoms among Palestinian prisoners, according to the Israeli Public Defender’s Office.
Ibrahim, a Florida resident, was visiting his family in the West Bank when he was arrested.
Ibrahim’s family sought to pressure US lawmakers to demand his release, and his case was later transferred to Kushner, who contacted senior Israeli officials demanding his release, according to sources for the Times of Israel.
Washington was particularly displeased with the detention of an American citizen by an allied country without charge, according to the sources.
US officials have also expressed concern about the escalating, uncontrolled violence of Israeli settlers, warning of its potential impact on the situation in Gaza.
After ignoring the Palestinian Authority for most of the year, Washington has recently begun communicating with its leadership over the past two months, realizing that Ramallah’s support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan will be essential to gaining the support of Arab countries, even if Washington does not want to give the Authority an immediate role in managing the sector after the war.
After US efforts at the United Nations, the Palestinian Authority pushed Arab countries to support a draft resolution presented by Washington in the Security Council, which stipulates that Trump’s Peace Council will be tasked with managing the Gaza Strip over the next two years.
After the vote on November 17, Kushner contacted Palestinian Authority Vice President Mahmoud Abbas, Hussein al-Sheikh, to thank Ramallah for its cooperation, according to the two sources. Since then, communication between them has continued, establishing a high-level channel of communication between Washington and Ramallah.
Days later, Kushner contacted the Israeli side demanding Ibrahim’s release, which took place on November 27.
