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Israel arrests Hebron PA mayor on suspicion of supporting terrorism

In 1980, Tayseer Abu Sneineh took part in a terrorist ambush in Hebron in which six civilians, including two Americans and a Canadian, were killed.

Sep. 2, 2025

Israel arrests Hebron PA mayor on suspicion of supporting terrorism

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Hebron's mayor Tayseer Abu Sneineh talks after the Ibrahimi Mosque was stripped of the authority of the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and the Hebron Municipality, based on an Israeli decision, in Hebron, July 16, 2025. Photo by Mosab Shawer/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images.
Hebron’s mayor Tayseer Abu Sneineh talks after the Ibrahimi Mosque was stripped of the authority of the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and the Hebron Municipality, based on an Israeli decision, in Hebron, July 16, 2025. Photo by Mosab Shawer/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images.

The Palestinian Authority mayor of Hebron was arrested by Israeli security forces on suspicion of supporting and inciting terror, Hebrew media reported on Tuesday.

Tayseer Abu Sneineh was taken into Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) custody on Tuesday morning after expressing support for Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to Channel 12 News.

Pending the investigation, Abu Sneineh is reportedly being held in administrative detention.

The Israel Defense Forces’ Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed to JNS that the matter fell under the Shin Bet’s authority. The internal security agency did not respond to a JNS request for comment on Tuesday.

In 1980, Abu Sneineh took part in a terrorist ambush in Hebron in which six civilians, including two Americans and a Canadian, were killed and 16 others wounded. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Abu Sneineh was freed in 1983 under a prisoner-exchange deal between Israel and Palestinian terror organizations. After his return to Hebron, he was elected mayor of the Judea city in 2017 on a Fatah ticket, later forming his own independent list in subsequent municipal elections.

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