Employees of the Nadiel Center in Jerusalem's Old City filed a petition with the High Court of Justice Monday against the police, who closed down the center in July on the grounds that it was serving as meeting point for terrorists belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The petition says the establishment serves as a community center which gives health tips to civilians and support to teens, and that it is funded by European donations.
Employees of the center also claim that police arrived without prior warning, welded the doors together and shut the center down for a month. In their contestation of the shutting down order the employees asked Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen to explain the move.
In his response the police chief said intelligence provided by the defense establishment revealed that the center was being used as a meeting place for PFLP operatives, and that the terror organization was running youth programs there.
He added that the center was run by terrorists who had previously served time for militant activity, the petition states.
The shutting down order was subsequently extended to a year and two months, following the interrogation of its manager, at which point employees sent another letter of contention.
Nadiel's petition says the center had provided necessary and non-political education for teens, women, and drug addicts, as well as camp services for children.
"The shutting down of the center is seen by the public as another incident of social constriction imposed on Palestinians in east Jerusalem, and cannot be interpreted as anything but the intent to dry up the development of an independent society in the eastern city," the petition says.