The rabbi spoke to GSS – The young man was arrested

Thursday, September 22 15:54 What appeared to be a standard arrest that ended without result in the Yehuda and Shomron District, was later revealed to be a complex saga. The Hevron resident arrested at the beginning of this week was released to his home. However, later it became known that his arrest was preceded by a conversation between a rabbi from the Yehuda and Shomron area and the head of the Jewish Department of the GSS.
The saga began approximately five months ago. Two days after five members of the Fogel family, hy”d, were murdered in Itamar, three young men who studied at the time at the yeshiva in Yitzhar were driving to Meron to pray at the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi).
On the Wadi Ara main highway a police car stopped their car and during a search found a bottle of gasoline. The young men explained that the owner of the car probably keeps a bottle of gasoline in the car in case he runs out of gas.
The policemen delayed the three for interrogation at the Iron Police Station, and explained to them that out of fear of revenge attacks after the murder in Itamar they must delay anyone who looks suspicious. The three were interrogated on suspicion of plotting a crime and were released after approximately three hours.
Several weeks later the owner of the car was summoned for interrogation at Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police, where he was asked why the three young men were driving through Wadi Ara. The owner of the car replied that he was not responsible for whomever borrows his car. The police investigators asked the car owner if the three had stolen his car and requested that he file a stolen car report. The car owner refused.
Whoever thought that the matter had been concluded, was proven wrong this week.
The man who drove the car is an approximately 19 year old Hevron resident whose brother was murdered in a terror attack a few years ago. The young man tried during the past few months to enlist in the IDF, but encountered difficulties. His father turned to the army captain responsible for families affected by terror attacks who is assisting the family. She reported that the IDF refuses to tell her why his enlistment has been refused, but it seems that the GSS is involved.
The father turned to a well-known rabbi in the area, who turned to the head of the Jewish Department of the GSS, in order to clarify why the enlistment has been delayed.
This week, on Tuesday morning the rabbi phoned the father and told him that the head of the Jewish Department of the GSS told him that the reason for the delay is the drive through Wadi Ara. The department head also said that the police must finish investigating the incident and then afterwards the young man will be able to enlist.
Several hours later police detectives arrived in Kiryat Arba and arrested the young man. The police hurried to announce that they had arrested a youth from Hevron on suspicion of participation in a “price tag” incident and he will be released after interrogation.
Honenu attorney Adi Kedar attempted over and over again to clarify where the young man was being held, but did not succeed. After approximately five hours it became known that he was being interrogated about his trip to Meron and being held by the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police.
It became known that the investigators from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police claim that he stole the car in which the three were driving, and that in the another incident his fingerprints were found near the Arab vehicle that was damaged during the funeral of the Fogel family members in Jerusalem.
After being briefed by Honenu attorney Adi Kedar the young man denied all charges against him, but the investigators left him in remand overnight. The following morning the owner of the car was summoned to an urgent interrogation.
The car owner was briefed by Kedar and then arrived at the offices of the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police, where he staged a confrontation with the detainee. The two maintained their right to be silent, and then afterwards the investigators tried to trick them into talking about the case. The car owner and the detainee were put in a room with a grate separating them. Suddenly all of the policemen left the room with the intent of causing them to discuss the case. The car owner phoned a friend and said loudly that “the investigators are trying to get me to talk with the detainee, but I’m not stupid.” After approximately half a minute the police investigators entered the room and order the car owner to leave the police station…
Several hours later also the detainee was released, without being brought to court and unconditionally.