Rabbi Hillel Reines, a resident of Yitzhar in Samaria, spoke to Arutz Sheva on Friday morning about his son-in-law Yehuda Landsberg, who was arrested at the beginning of the week over suspicions of involvement in "price tag" vandalism.
Rabbi Reines reports that Landsberg, a construction contractor from Havat Gilad in northern Samaria, was with his wife Emunah and their 3 children on the way to a family brit milah (circumcision).
At the Yitzhar Junction, a large police force was lying in wait for the young family.
Initially the police wanted to arrest the entire family, but after a debate they settled on arresting Yehuda alone.
"When the force realized that arresting my daughter Emunah with her small children would be complicated, they decided to give up on her," tells Rabbi Reines.
Yehuda has not been seen since the arrest, and his family has not been allowed to see or talk with him. His father-in-law posits that he may be being held at the Shabak (Internal Security) headquarters near Petach Tikvah.
The rabbi added that from the little he has been told by police, Yehuda won't even be able to meet a lawyer until next Sunday and will be held without charge until at least Tuesday.
Rabbi Reines spoke about his son-in-law, calling him "an honest Jew, upright, who works hard for his earnings. I don't see how he could be mixed in 'price tag' or other violent activities. They want to harass him to frighten the residents of Havat Gilad, he's their victim. But the efforts will be in vain, my daughter Emunah and the children are strong."
The residents of Havat Gilad will conduct a "melave malka" meal Saturday night after Shabbat ends to support Yehuda and request his release.
The accusations of "price tag" come the same week that a resident of Samaria exposed how Arab residents stage vandalism to blame local Jews, in perhaps the most conclusive proof to date confirming long-held accusations of framing.
Jews were recently nearly-lynched outside of the Arab town Kusra in Samaria, an attack the media and police quickly justified based on Arab claims the Jews were coming to commit "price tag." However, eye-witness reports exposed the lie, revealing the Jews were far from Kusra when they were surrounded by the mob.
Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir spoke of the assault and accusations of "price tag," arguing "people doing 'price tag' don't go in the middle of the day, don't go about without means of defense, and don't do it in a group."