The Israeli Military Court of Appeals rejected on Monday the open court appeal for the trial of 16-year-old Ahed Tamimi, claiming experience had proved minors benefit from closed proceedings, according to Haaretz.

The decision to hold minors’ trials behind closed doors was made by a lower court, claiming it is for their benefit, although Ahed’s hearings were all public.

Ahed’s lawyer, Gaby Lasky, slammed the decision to hold a secret trial in a tweet by writing: “The Military Court of Appeals rejected the defense's appeal and upheld the decision to hold Ahed’s trial behind closed doors. Public scrutiny is Ahed's only defense, and it is clear that without it, in secret proceedings, she cannot get a fair trial”.

The Military Court of Appeals rejected the defense's appeal and upheld the decision to hold Ahed Tamimi's trial behind closed doors. Public scrutiny is Ahed's only defense, and it is clear that without it, in secret proceedings, she cannot get a fair trial

— Gaby Lasky (@gaby_lasky) March 19, 2018

Ahed will stand on trial on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, facing several charges including assaulting Israeli officers, stone-throwing and marking threats. She was also accused of ‘deliberate’ incitement to violence against Israel.

Ahed has become a symbol of the Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation, since her arrest in December 2017, after a video of her slapping an Israeli soldier in the driveway of her family home in Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank went viral on social media.

On Monday, Bassem Tamimi, Ahed’s father described in a Facebook post his first visit to the prison. He was only allowed 45 minutes to see his wife and daughter who are held in Hasharon Prison. He thanked all the voices of solidarity who have shown support for their resistance in the face of occupation.