Two Jerusalem residents were charged on Sunday with providing information to Hezbollah during Israel’s year-long war with the Lebanese terrorist group.
According to the indictment filed by the state prosecutor, Abd al-Salam Qawasameh and Taar Asili, both in their 30s, were in contact with a woman named “Diana,” a Hezbollah operative. The two men communicated with her via WhatsApp, and despite learning of her affiliation with the terror group continued sharing information with her, according to the indictment.
Qawasameh is accused of sending “Diana” pictures of the coastal town of Caesarea, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s family residence is located. Asili allegedly sent news articles about Israel and the security situation, according to the indictment.
They were also allegedly asked to speak with a senior Hezbollah intelligence officer. According to the indictment Asili purchased a new SIM card to make contact with the officer, but refused a request to take photos of Metula, a northern Israeli border town which was under constant threat from Hezbollah.
The two men are charged with contacting a foreign agent and passing information to the enemy. Additionally, Qawasameh faces weapons charges after being photographed with an assault rifle belonging to a Palestinian gunman in Jenin, northern Samaria.
The prosecution has requested that the Jerusalem District Court keep both men in detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
An indictment was filed last Thursday against a 19-year-old resident of Nazareth following his arrest last month for allegedly transferring information to Hezbollah during the war.
The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Israel Police said that their investigation had revealed that Muhammad Saadi had been in contact with the Iranian-backed terrorist organization in recent years, and had expressed a desire to join it.
The indictments come after a ceasefire, which began on Nov. 27, ended over a year of war between Israel and Hezbollah. The conflict saw near-daily rocket, missile and drone attacks on northern Israel, starting on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after the Hamas-led massacre to the south.