Shin Bet detains, investigates B’Tselem field researcher

Renown Israeli rights group B’Tselem disclosed on Saturday that Shin Bet had raided the Sosya neighbourhood in Hebron Hills, detaining its field researcher Nasser Nawajah and interrogating him.

On his detention, Israeli writer Gideon Levy wrote: “A large army force raided the village of Palestinian human rights activist Nasser Nawajah. He was taken handcuffed and blindfolded into detention for 14 hours for a 15-minute talk with a Shin Bet agent who advised him to moderate his behaviour.”

B’Tselem shared that its researcher was detained and interrogated in a military camp in an illegal Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.

He remained in detention, and no information was given to his family, B’Tselem or lawyers. He was given very little water to drink while handcuffed and blindfolded.

The rights activist was interrogated by an officer who accused him of causing trouble with the Israeli army in the area.

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According to the statement, Nawajah has been detained and interrogated several times and was accused of aggravating the Israeli army and sending B’Tselem activists to harass Israeli soldiers.

“This was not surprising for me,” Nawahah said. “Israeli has been chasing anyone documenting Israeli oppression practised in the occupied territories. Violence practised by the Israeli forces is not new, but it is part of my work and a routine for the Palestinians.”

B’Tselem Director Hagai El-Ad expressed: “This is scandalous, but not exceptional. Israel does its best to undermine the workflow of the human rights organisations, mainly the Palestinian ones, which disclose the violations it commits.”

El-Ad added: “Detention of B’Tselem employees and questioning them has a clear reason: undermining his work and helping the army and settlers to continue violating the rights of the Palestinians in the south Hebron Hills.”