Prisoner freed in Shalit deal caught working in Israel illegally
Palestinian barred from reentering Israel is arrested along with 7 other unauthorized workers, tells police: 'This is our land'
A Palestinian convicted on terrorism charges and released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap in 2011 was caught working illegally at a construction site in the central Israel city of Ra’anana on Monday.
The suspect, identified as Qawareiq Hindawi, 27, was detained along with seven other Palestinian workers who were also in Israel illegally.
Hindawi was released from prison five years ago as part of the prisoner exchange for the captive Israeli soldier, after serving four years of a six-year sentence for membership in an illegal organization and criminal possession of a weapon.
Under the terms of his release, he was barred from reentering Israel, and may now face serving the remainder of his prison sentence.
Asked why he had broken the terms of his release, Hindawi told police: “This is our land. When we want to, we enter. With all due respect, this is our land. You are the first to say I need a permit.”
In the 2011 swap, Israel freed 1,027 Palestinians in return for the abducted Israeli soldier. At least six Israelis have since been killed in attacks perpetrated by Palestinian prisoners released in the exchange who returned to terrorist activity.