Three Israelis were arrested by the Palestinian Authority during an illegal sightseeing trip to Bethlehem.
The three Israelis, one of them an armed off-duty soldier, drove into the West Bank city last Friday using a route that has no checkpoints.
The car’s license plates, as well as a Star of David decoration on the windshield, were noticed by Palestinian Authority police, who detained the three fearing they could be lynched. In custody, the three said they came to Bethlehem to see the Christmas decorations.
The Israelis were released after a few hours. Once out of the West Bank, they were arrested for violating a military order barring Israelis from territory under the Palestinian Authority’s control.
