Israeli authorities cracked down on Jerusalem Arabs illegally enlisting in Palestinian Authority security forces, arresting 32 people overnight on Nov. 21 who are suspected of receiving social benefits from Israel while also serving the P.A.
According to the 1994 Gaza-Jericho agreement and the Oslo accords, it is illegal for P.A. security forces to operate in Jerusalem.
The arrests followed a covert investigation into the P.A.’s operations inside Israel, uncovering tens of thousands of shekels in cash, uniforms, weapons, ammunition and P.A. security forces documents.
It occurred just a day after the Palestinian Authority “governor” of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith was arrested.
Ghaith is believed to have been instrumental in the P.A. abduction of a Palestinian American man who was charged with aiding in the selling of property in eastern Jerusalem to a Jewish buyer—a crime in the P.A. that carries the death penalty.
Ghaith and Jihad Faqih, the Jerusalem director of the P.A. General Intelligence Services, denied involvement.
