3 arrested for waving Hamas flags, celebrating released terrorists

During the celebrations for released security prisoners, the trio waved Hamas flags and praised the terror group.

By World Israel News Staff

Three people were arrested for publicly supporting terror during celebrations marking the release of security prisoners, Israeli security forces said in a statement on Wednesday.

The suspects, who were not named in the media release, are residents of Palestinian Authority-controlled enclaves in Judea and Samaria.

They reportedly participated in welcoming home convicted terrorists who were freed to the Ramallah area during the ongoing ceasefire and hostage deal.

During the celebrations, the trio waved Hamas flags, praised the terror group, and engaged in other activity “disruptive to public order,” which is against Israeli law.

“The determined, intelligent, and professional operations of our security forces conveyed a clear message – celebrating the release of terrorists will not happen on our watch,” said Border Police Commander Maj. Itzhak Brik in a press statement.

“We will not allow any attempts to disrupt public order. We will continue to monitor the released terrorists, who must know that any of them who return to terrorism will be met with the full force of the State of Israel’s security forces.”

Last week, footage of a senior terrorist being released to an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood while clad in a Hamas scarf sparked widespread outrage.

Ashraf Zagheir, who was serving a life sentence for his involvement in a Tel Aviv bus bombing, was freed from an Israeli prison in late January.

He was welcomed home to the Kfar Aqab neighborhood with a procession promoting the Hamas terror group, as participants waved Hamas flags and fired into the air.

At the time, police said that the “terms of the hostage release deal” prevented them from being able to re-arrest Zagheir on charges of promoting terror.

It’s unclear if the suspects arrested by the police on Wednesday included those who had participated in celebrations marking Zagheir’s release.

East JerusalemHamashostage dealprisoner release