Palestinian policeman arrested for incitement, praised Hitler on Facebook

A senior member of the Palestinian security forces was arrested on suspicion of online incitement, including posting content that glorified Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, the Shin Bet security service said in a statement Tuesday.

Muhammad al-Sawiti was arrested in August after posting on Facebook “extremist content that constitutes a direct call for violent action against Jews, as well as praise and support for the actions of [Palestinian] attackers,” the Shin Bet said.

He also posted pictures of Hitler and Adolf Eichmann along with expressions of admiration for “people like them,” the Shin Bet said.

Sawiti is a “senior employee” in the Palestinian Preventive Security service offices in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. One of the functions of the PPS is to foil terror attacks against Israel.

One picture posted by Sawiti online featured the World War II leader giving his signature Nazi salute, with the Arabic caption: “We need Hitler.”

Another of Eichmann, who was a key organizer of the Final Solution, had an accompanying slogan expressing longing for more leaders like him.

Another photo of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem called for “blood to be spilled” for the holy site.

Sawiti was charged with incitement Monday at the Judea military court in the West Bank.

“It should be emphasized that incitement activity on networks, and social networks in particular, inflames passions and may lead to terrorist acts,” the Shin Bet said.

The domestic security agency said it “will continue to act to neutralize and thwart online incitement to terrorism.”