Israel extends custody of Palestinian teen

An Israeli military court extended the custody of a Palestinian teenager and her mother on Thursday after a video showing her slap two soldiers went viral and sparked heated debate.

Ahed Tamimi, 16, was ordered held until Monday along with her mother Nariman, 43, a military spokeswoman said.

Her cousin Nour, 21, is to be released on Sunday if no new evidence is presented by then, according to the spokeswoman.

A few dozen Palestinians protested against their detention near the gate of the military prison in the occupied West Bank where the court is located, with Israeli forces dispersing them with sound grenades and tear gas.Palestinian Ahed Tamimi, 16-year-old prominent campaigner against Israel's occupation, appears at a military court at the Israeli-run Ofer prison in the West Bank village of Betunia

Ahed Tamimi and her mother were arrested on December 19, while her cousin was taken in by security forces the next day.

Tamimi has been lauded as a hero by Palestinians after a video from December 15 went viral showing the teenager slap and kick two Israeli soldiers in her village of Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank.

She has been involved in a series of previous confrontations, leading Israelis to accuse her family of using her as a pawn in staged provocations.

Palestinians however say she is engaged in legitimate resistance against Israel's 50-year occupation of the West Bank.