Puerto Rican activist says "Palestinians have the right to live like humans."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFPA flag 298.88(photo credit: )
A well-known Puerto Rican activist was under house arrest in Israel on Tuesday after he climbed a tower near Israel's security barrier and planted a Palestinian flag on it.
Fellow activists said Alberto de Jesus, 48, spent two days in a police lockup in the West Bank, followed by two days under house arrest, and was to be released later Tuesday.
De Jesus was initially arrested after climbing a six-story surveillance tower alongside the separation barrier, near the West Bank town of Bil'in. De Jesus stayed on the tower for five hours and flew a large Palestinian flag, as part of a weekly protest by peace activists against the barrier.
De Jesus, also known as Tito Kayak, is famous for leading protests against US Navy exercises on Puerto Rico's Vieques Island.
De Jesus said he felt good he'd revived media attention about the Israeli barrier. "Maybe because of the media other people will know what's happening here in Palestine. Palestinians have the right to live like humans," he said in a telephone interview from his house arrest in Tel Aviv.
Local activist Kobi Snitz, who agreed to supervise De Jesus's house arrest, said his guest was in good spirits, despite two days in a police lockup.
Police were unavailable to comment on Independence Day, but earlier said De Jesus would most likely be deported.
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