Freed Turks detained by Israel again, to be deported

By Turgut Alp Boyraz and Eshat Firat

JERUSALEM, Palestine

Two of three Turkish citizens, who were detained again by Israeli police in Eastern Jerusalem after being freed, face deportation, said brother of a detainee on Sunday.

The trio were arrested at Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday and released on bail by an Israeli court on Saturday.

Two of the Turkish citizens -- Abdullah Kizilirmak and Mehmet Gargili -- are accused of "battering Israeli police and resistance".

The third one -- Adem Koc -- was accused of "disturbing public order and attending an illegal demonstration".

Bilal Kizilirmak, brother of Abdullah, told Anadolu Agency late on Sunday that the Israeli police summoned Abdullah and Gargili back to police station.

After being unable to contact his brother and Gargili for hours, he called Umeyr Ahmed Merrid, the lawyer for the detained citizens.

"The lawyer said that my brother Abdullah Kizilirmak and our friend Mehmet Gargili were detained again to be deported and taken to the city of Ramla near Tel Aviv and handed over to the immigration police,” said Kizilirmak.

"Lawyer Merrid stated that although the court had not made such a decision of deportation, the police made such a decision on its own initiative," he added.

Kizilirmak said they had no knowledge of when and why they would be deported, as Turkey's Embassy to Tel Aviv and Consulate to Jerusalem are monitoring the issue.

Israeli police arrested Kizilirmak and Kargili, who tried to perform Friday prayers at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, according to eyewitness accounts. An eyewitness said the pilgrims -- dual Belgian-Turkish nationals, holding Belgian passports -- were wearing Turkish flag T-shirts when they attempted to enter the holy compound.

On Dec. 6, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite worldwide opposition.

The decision sparked angry demonstrations across the Muslim world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other top Turkish officials have been at the international forefront opposing the U.S. move.

On Thursday, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution against the Trump decision by a vote of 128-9.