FREE AYMAN GHRAYEB

Ayman Ghrayeb - a prominent activist in the Jordan Valley, is now hospitalized after being forcibly disappeared.

Ayman is one of the most prominent Palestinian activists in the Jordan Valley, continuously standing with communities under threat and documenting settler and military violence. Ayman has been resisting ongoing efforts to empty the Valley of Palestinians.

Ayman leads community projects, supports youth groups, provides guidance to international volunteers, and helps farmers defend their homes. He documents evictions, cuts to water supplies, and roadblocks affecting entire communities, ensuring these realities are seen beyond the Valley. Despite arrests, interrogations, and surveillance, Ayman continues his work, driven by a deep commitment to his community and their right to remain on their land.

Arrest and Disappearance

On November 17, Ayman was arrested while visiting the Fasayil community, under threat of forced displacement by the army and settlers from Havat Harashash. The arrest was initiated by settlement security. Ayman was then handed over to the army, who confiscated his phone and camera. During his detention,two Secret Service agents told him that they “had enough” of his activism and that “this time, you will go to jail”.

For 48 hours, Ayman’s whereabouts and status were unknown. The army and police claimed that he was not in their custody, only acknowledging, after legal pressure, that he was secretly held at Samra military base. His current detention is merely a formality; the real plan, according to his lawyer, is administrative detention, indefinite imprisonment without charge, based on secret evidence no one can see.

Hospitalized and at Risk

Ghrayeb, who was in good health at the time of his detention, was hospitalized after being transferred from military custody to the Israeli Prison Service. Authorities have refused to reveal where he is hospitalized, why, or what his condition is, raising serious concerns of gross misconduct or even torture.

Only days ago, Physicians for Human Rights Israel published a report showing that at least 94 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli prisons since October 7, 2023. This context underscores the immediate danger faced by activists like Ayman.

This Is Not an Isolated Case, It’s Policy

Ayman’s detention is part of a clear system of repression in the Jordan Valley. Israel works to empty the area of Palestinians through forced displacement, community harassment, and targeting activists. In the past two years, more than 100 Palestinian communities have been forcibly removed.

Activists like Ayman face constant surveillance, arbitrary arrests, interrogations, and threats. Many, like Rabia Abu Naim, have been placed in administrative detention despite no involvement in armed activity. Ayman stands at the center of the local struggle, representing resistance to the erasure of Palestinian life. Everyone can help: demand his release, share his story, and raise your voice against this repression.

Ayman Ghrayeb. Photo by Avishay Mohar / Activestills

Ayman Ghrayeb. Photo by Oren Ziv