Foreign nationals face possible deportation after arrest in West Bank alongside Palestinians
Fourteen foreign nationals and three Palestinians were detained on suspicion of involvement in disturbances near Ras Karkar in the West Bank on Saturday, Israel Police said on Sunday.Following questioning by the Judea and Samaria District Police, the cases of the foreign nationals were referred to the Population and Immigration Authority for hearings and decisions on their possible deportation from Israel.According to a police statement, the incident occurred on Saturday after authorities received a report of a disturbance in the Samaria region.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article never says that the foreign nationals were detained during an olive harvest, or that their lawyer said they had come to help Palestinians pick olives. Without this, a reader takes the police allegation, that they travelled to the area to provoke clashes, as the only account of why they were there.
How we know
- Times of Israel reported“Their lawyer, Alon Sapir, told The Times of Israel that the group consisted of 15 foreign nationals who had come to assist Palestinians with the olive harvest.”14 ‘anti-Israel’ activists arrested in West Bank during Palestinian olive harvest to be deported (opens in a new tab)
- Times of Israel reported“Israeli forces detained the 17 people during an olive harvest on Friday in the Ramallah-area village of Kafr Ni’ma, according to Palestinian activist group Faz3a.”14 ‘anti-Israel’ activists arrested in West Bank during Palestinian olive harvest to be deported (opens in a new tab)
IDF troops and Border Police officers from the Judea and Samaria District were dispatched to the scene and detained 17 suspects on suspicion of involvement in the disturbance and violating a lawful order.Officers from the Modi'in Illit police station also arrived at the scene, and the suspects were taken to the station for questioning.During the investigation, conducted in cooperation with the foreign nationals desk of the Judea and Samaria District Police's Central Unit, investigators raised suspicions that the foreign nationals had traveled to the area to provoke confrontations and clashes on the ground and promote media campaigns against Israel, allegedly intended to attract international attention.Suspects thought to support BDS movement against IsraelPolice further stated that several of the suspects were believed to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which advocates boycotts of Israel.
Some were also suspected of expressing support for organizations that police described as anti-Israel and presenting them as legitimate groups.Following the completion of questioning of the 14 foreign nationals, and after police said investigators had established an evidentiary basis for the suspicions against them, the investigation materials were transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority for review.
The move was carried out in coordination with the Foreign Ministry and the Population Administration at the Interior Ministry, enabling the authority to conduct hearings and determine whether the foreign nationals should be deported from Israel.Police said the move was part of broader cooperation among the relevant authorities to prevent similar activities at various locations throughout Judea and Samaria.The investigation into the remaining suspects is ongoing.
The Judea and Samaria District Police said it would continue taking action against incidents of friction and violence, including during the olive harvest season, as well as against what police described as manifestations of incitement, agitation, and identification with terrorist organizations.
According to police, such activities could lead to disturbances and endanger public safety.
Read the original article on jpost.com (opens in a new tab)