JERUSALEM: Israeli police arrested the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem for the second time in as many months on Sunday after an investigation related to a land sale.
Adnan Gheith was arrested in east Jerusalem overnight, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement, without providing further details.
Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court extended his remand until Thursday at noon.
Judge Chavi Toker was presented with secret evidence and said the reason for his arrest was unlawful collaboration with Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, which Israel says violates the Oslo accords.
No further details were given.
On October 20, Gheith was detained for two days of questioning before being released, with Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency saying it was over “illegal activity by the (PA) in Jerusalem”.
He was also taken for questioning a number of times in recent weeks and his office was raided on November 4.
The PA’s Jerusalem Affairs Minister, Adnan al Husseini, has also been given a three-month travel ban by Israeli authorities, according to Palestinian officials.
Israeli media have reported that authorities have been investigating the governor following the PA’s arrest of a man in October accused of being involved in selling property in east Jerusalem to a Jewish buyer.
Such sales are considered treasonous among Palestinians concerned with Israeli settlers buying property in east Jerusalem.
But among Israelis, there have been calls for authorities to free the man arrested by the PA over the sale.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that the man is a Palestinian with US citizenship. A US Embassy official had not immediately responded to a request for comment on Sunday. — AFP
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