David Ben Avraham receives treatment
David Ben Avraham receives treatmentUnited Hatzalah

Jewish convert David Ben Avraham (formerly known as Samah Zaytun), who was released from a Palestinian Authority prison in Halhul after 60 days, arrived on Friday for medical examinations at the national headquarters of United Hatzalah in Jerusalem.

Ben Avraham completed the conversion process at Rabbi Nissim Karelitz's court in Bnei Brak, before being arrested on the eve of Yom Kippur upon arriving for a meeting with his son near Karmei Tzur.

After his release, he was evacuated by ambulance for further treatment and medical examinations at the Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. "I would like to thank the United Hatzalah volunteers and the ambulance staff for the dedicated and courteous care and for the quick evacuation to the hospital," he said.

Haim Perg, one of the leaders of the Jewish community in Hevron who worked to ensure Ben Avraham’s release and who accompanies him, said, "After severe torture that he underwent and in a smart operation, we rescued David Samah Zaytun from prison and from the house arrest to which he was thrown after he was kidnapped near the Karmei Tzur Junction on Erev Yom Kippur.”

Yossi Dagan, chairman of the Samaria Regional Council who was personally involved in the saga and worked for Ben Avraham's release, said, "David suffered severe abuse in the PA, and this is only because he is a Jew. We were blessed to perform the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim (lit. Redemption of Captives). A Jew who is imprisoned due to being a Jew should not be abandoned, certainly not when we’re talking about a PA prison.”

Dagan thanked Central Command chief Nadav Padan, the executive officer of the Central Command Ghassan Alian, Deputy COGAT Chief Shai Carmona, Head of the Hevron District Coordination Office Moshe Tetro, who assisted and acted in the matter, Tomer Levi who acted on behalf of the Samaria Regional Council for the release of David and Rabbi Shimon Ben Zion from the Meir Institute.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)