Palestinian posing as Israeli arrested filming Tel Aviv-area light rail station, Shin Bet investigates

Israeli police said Tuesday they had arrested a 32-year-old Palestinian man with a history of security-related offenses after he was caught filming an underground light rail station in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, while allegedly posing as an Israeli citizen. The Shin Bet domestic security agency is also involved in the investigation.

The suspect, a West Bank resident who was in Israel without a valid entry permit, was detained Monday by light rail security guards at the Aharonovich underground station. According to police, he had previously been involved in weapons manufacturing and stone-throwing.

Officers from the Tel Aviv District Police's light rail unit were called to the scene and began questioning the man. During the initial inspection, he presented an identity card and claimed to be a resident of Tayibe, an Arab-majority city in central Israel. Further checks revealed that he was a Palestinian resident without legal permission to enter Israel who had falsely identified himself as an Israeli.

The suspect was taken to the Bnei Brak police station for questioning and is expected to appear in court Tuesday. The Shin Bet is participating in the investigation, although authorities have not disclosed whether they suspect the man was planning an attack or why he was filming the station.