(JTA) — Israel’s General Security Service arrested a man in the West Bank suspected of planning to abduct Israelis for Hezbollah.
The man, Yussef Yasser Suylam from Qalqiliya, 23, also allegedly collected information on Israel Defense Forces troops for Hezbollah handlers who corresponded with him on Facebook, according to a statement published Thursday by the security service, which is also known as Shin Bet.
A military tribunal in the West Bank is reviewing the indictment, according to Army Radio. The abduction plan allegedly involved taking an Israeli Jewish civilian, officer or soldier captive in the West Bank and smuggling them to Lebanon.
Israel maintains strict surveillance on its northern borders and initiates lockdown procedures whenever authorities suspect an abduction, significantly complicating attempts to move captives inside the West Bank and Gaza without detection.
Separately, the General Security Service also published its monthly report earlier this week, indicating a slight increase in the volume of terrorist attacks targeting Israelis in the West Bank and in Israel proper.
Israeli security services recorded 102 such attacks in February compared to 100 the previous month, the report said. The incidents resulted in no fatalities among victims but did end with 14 people wounded.
Of the attacks recorded last month, 81 involved the hurling of firebombs.
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