(13 Feb 2018) The closely watched trial of a Palestinian girl who slapped and punched two Israeli soldiers opened before an Israeli military court in the West Bank on Tuesday. The judge ordered all proceedings to be held behind closed doors in a case that has drawn wide criticism of Israel for prosecuting the teenager. After the prosecution read the indictment, the trial was adjourned until next month. In his decision, the judge, Lt. Col. Menachem Lieberman, said the trial would remain closed for Tamimi's own protection. But Tamimi's Israeli lawyer, Gaby Lasky, objected, saying the family wants the proceedings to be public. She accused the court of closing the proceedings to prevent the world from watching. "Since the occupation is not temporary, is not legal anymore and in that sense, the court of occupation as an organ of occupation is not legal, so they cannot bring Ahed to trial here," Lasky argued. Ahed Tamimi has been incarcerated since she was arrested on December 19, four days after she was filmed confronting the soldiers outside her West Bank home. Israel has treated her actions as a criminal offence, indicting her on charges of assault and incitement that could potentially lead to years in prison. But Ahed Tamimi's supporters see a brave girl who struck two armed soldiers outside her West Bank home in frustration after having just learned that Israeli troops seriously wounded a 15-year-old cousin, shooting him in the head from close range with a rubber bullet during nearby stone-throwing clashes. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/359f8da404be507f397794e5d70f7df5