A British woman has been arrested at a Palestinian camp and is being held in prison by authorities in Israel.
Josie Sandercock, a medical researcher at Birmingham University, felt so strongly about the Palestinians cause, that she went out to Balata near Nablus to act as a human shield.
However, on Saturday, Israeli forces went to the house where she was staying at and detained her.
Meanwhile, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said Sandercock has refused to be deported from the country and is appealing against her arrest.
The spokeswoman told BBC, "We have visited Miss Sandercock in prison and will continue to visit her as with any British national who has been arrested.
"The Israeli authorities are trying to deport her but she is appealing against that and she has a lawyer representing her. "If it wasn't for the appeal, she would be on a plane back to the UK but she feels she was arrested illegally."
Sandercock, from Bearwood is currently on a hunger strike after claiming that she has been held in Ramle Prison, near Tel Aviv, without charge.
She phoned her work colleague, Dr. Amanda Burl on Monday night to tell her she had been arrested.
British Foreign Office officials have been in touch with Sandercock's parents in the United Kingdom and Dr. Burl has been in contact with her local Parliament Member for help.
The Israeli authorities are not reported to have charged her, or seven other foreigners, who are being held in the jail. (albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
