Israel arrests Jew suspected of outing Palestinians aiding settlers
Date
1/11/2016 10:36:07 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Representative image
Jerusalem: Israeli police on Monday arrested a Jewish man suspected of informing on Palestinians selling property to settlers laying them open to stiff penalties by advocates of a Palestinian state.
Selling land to Israeli settlers is viewed as treason by the Palestinians and carries a penalty of life imprisonment. In several cases alleged perpetrators have been killed by vigilantes.
Israeli media said Ezra Nawi was arrested after admitting in a TV interview that he reported to Palestinian security services on Palestinians selling plots in the occupied West Bank to Israelis.
An Israeli police statement reported the arrest of a "left-wing activist" as he sought to depart from Tel Aviv international airport without naming him.
"Police detectives arrested a left-wing activist at Ben Gurion airport on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime" it said in Hebrew adding he was to be questioned by Israeli police in the West Bank.
The activist is reportedly a member of an Arab-Jewish peace organisation Tayush although there was no immediate confirmation.
As part of measures against pro-Palestinian Israelis in what rights groups say are aimed at stifling dissent a draft bill would toughen rules on foreign-backed NGOs.
US ambassador Daniel Shapiro said on Monday that he had passed on White House concerns over the proposed legislation.
If the bill is passed it will require Israeli NGOs which receive at least half of their funds from foreign governments to identify donors on their financial statements and in official statements to public bodies.
It would also compel staff from such non-governmental organisations to wear special identity tags when appearing in front of parliamentary committees as is currently the case with paid lobbyists.
In a statement after meeting the bill's chief sponsor Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked Shapiro said he had "noted the US government's concerns" over the legislation.
AFP