Three young Arab Israelis to be charged for alleged affiliation with Hamas

Three Arab Israelis from the Nazareth area were to be charged on Monday for affiliation with the Gaza Strip-based Hamas terror group, law enforcement officials said.

In a joint statement, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency said the trio — including two minors — from Nazareth and the adjacent town of Reineh were detained several weeks ago over “their support for the Hamas organization and their intention to carry out local terrorist activities inspired by the organization.”

The adult suspect was named by authorities as Mobeen Ahmed Younis, 19.

Police and the Shin Bet said Younis and the two minors “consumed Hamas content,” participated in Hamas rallies while wearing flags of the terror group “and singing songs of praise to the organization,” and clashed with security forces at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount during the past holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

Law enforcement accused the three suspects of preparing Molotov cocktails to hurl at Israeli security forces should clashes break out in their hometowns.

Police also released images showing one of the suspects draped in a Hamas flag and headband and brandishing a handgun on the roof of his home.
Police and the Shin Bet said the investigation revealed a “disturbing picture” in which young Arab Israelis are “absorbing” Hamas propaganda and have easy access to firearms.

“The Hamas terror group continues to work to spread its ideology among Israeli citizens… and works to recruit them through propaganda distributed at the Temple Mount and on social networks, with the aim of advancing terror activity in Israel,” the statement said.

Indictments were to be filed against the trio later on Monday, and police had requested from the Nazareth District Court to extend their remand until the end of legal proceedings.

Last week, in a rare statement, Hamas claimed responsibility for a recent string of deadly attacks in Israel and the West Bank.