PA’s Jerusalem governor being investigated by Israel for terrorism, lawyer says

Israel is investigating the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem over suspected terrorism, in the first such allegation against the often-arrested leader, his lawyer says Monday.

Adnan Ghaith has been arrested by Israeli security forces more than 10 times over the past two years, but typically over the minor offense of engaging in “illegal” political activities in the city.

He has generally been released within a day or two.

But Ghaith’s lawyer Mohammed Mahmoud tells AFP that in addition to political offenses the governor was being probed over “planning an act of terrorism,” and not expected to be released soon.

It was the first time Ghaith was the subject of a terrorism investigation and Israel’s powerful domestic security agency, the Shin Bet, was involved in the case, Mahmoud says.

The Shin Bet does not immediately respond to a query about the investigation.

Israel bans all Palestinian Authority activities in the city.

As a result, the PA has a minister for Jerusalem affairs and a Jerusalem governor located in Al-Ram, just on the other side of an Israeli wall that separates the city and the West Bank.

Ghaith has repeatedly been arrested for allegedly carrying out PA activities in East Jerusalem, including for working to ensure Palestinians in the city had access to essential services in the battle against coronavirus.

— AFP