arrest (illustration)
arrest (illustration)Tomer Neuberg/FLASh90

Multiple right-wing activists from Judea and Samaria were arrested yesterday (Tuesday) and their cell phones were confiscated. Only hours later were they released without being questioned and without being told the reason for their arrests.

The activists believe that the reason was a meeting they had a day earlier, on Monday, with their friend who revealed to them that for the past few months, he had been serving as an "undercover agent" for the Jewish department of the Shin Bet (ISA).

On Monday evening, the young man who said that he worked for the ISA arrived in the community of Yad Binyamin and spoke with several of his friends. He explained that about six months ago he was involved in a serious criminal incident, and that was when the ISA's Jewish Department came into the picture. According to his version of events, they made sure to erase the serious indictment that was being filed against him in exchange for him helping them with gathering intelligence on the "Hilltop youth."

The activists believe that because they possess recordings of their friend's confession, the ISA is attempting to harass and intimidate them.

Yesterday, the ISA arrested one of the "agent's" friends on suspicion of "disclosing confidential information." Significant police forces simultaneously raided the apartment where the 'agent' shared the details of his operation with his friends and arrested three of his friends. After about 10 hours, they were released without being questioned and without any explanation as to why they were arrested.

The "agent's" friends claimed that after the admission of his ISA role, the "agent" was also arrested. They said, "This is a young man who was in the outposts in Judea and Samaria in the past, got involved in criminal activities, was in prison for a period of time, and is in a complex and distressed mental state. Apparently, the ISA recognized this and decided to take advantage of his situation."

Security sources told Arutz Sheva that "the use of the terminology of 'undercover agent' was intended to delegitimize the organization's activities and cast blame on the ISA's activities to thwart terrorism committed by Jews, the sole purpose of which is to save human lives."

Attorney Daniel Shimshilashvilli of the Honenu legal organization, who represents one of the young men who were arrested, said, "The ISA sought to deploy a 'secret agent' among settlers. That agent apparently came into contact with my client who was arrested last night. Answers to the questions under what authority he was arrested and why he was not released like the other detainees in the incident have remained unanswered so far. We will use all means at our disposal to bring about his immediate release. I call on the ISA to focus its activities on the rising terrorism in Judea and Samaria and not to seek cynical ways that exploit settlers who are in a difficult situation to act against their brothers."

The ISA stated, "The ISA is charged, by law, with maintaining the security of the state against terrorist threats. As part of its activities to fulfill its mission, the ISA carries out various operations to collect information, thwart, and prevent terrorist threats, and save human lives. All ISA activity is carried out in accordance with the law, and under legal supervision. Naturally, the ISA will not address information regarding its secret activities in detail, and this does not confirm the correctness of the publication."