Israeli court extends detention of Palestinian journalist Abed Abou Shhadeh

A Tel Aviv magistrate's court on Wednesday ruled that Palestinian journalist and political activist Abed Abou Shhadeh will stay in custody until Sunday, November 8. He is a Palestinian citizen of Israel who hosts the al-Midan podcast for the Arab48 website and appeared as an analyst on Al Jazeera during coverage of the recent Israeli election. Israeli security forces detained him after raiding his home in Jaffa overnight on Tuesday.

Police had asked for an eight-day extension, citing suspicion of "contact with a foreign agent". The legal rights group Adalah, part of his defence team, said it would appeal.

The raid and detention

About 15 security officers, some of them masked, confiscated electronic devices and books in front of his two children. According to Arab48, police at first refused to tell his family where he was held. His lawyer later found he was at a facility of the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, in Petah Tikva.

Israeli media reported that the arrest followed his participation in an interview in Qatar with Palestinian intellectual Azmi Bishara, a former Knesset member and former head of the Balad party. His lawyers say the interrogation focused solely on that interview. Adalah says police raised no other allegations, and the interview remains publicly available.

Defence and rights groups

At the hearing, the defence argued that Bishara is not a "foreign agent" and that interviewing him cannot give rise to suspicion of a crime. Israel Hayom reported that the lawyers said Abou Shhadeh has worked as a journalist for about six years, the interview was part of that work, it was "not a secret meeting", and investigators already hold his phone and computer.

Adalah founder Hassan Jabareen told Al Jazeera that the journalist is accused of receiving money from foreign agents to support Arab-Israeli voters, and called the charges fabricated. He said nothing was found when the house was searched. Adalah lawyer Hadeel Abu Salih said it was not a criminal investigation but a campaign to silence Palestinian journalists and activists.

Dozens of Palestinian and Jewish activists protested outside the court demanding his release.

Political context

No party won last week's Israeli election outright. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot must now form a coalition with smaller parties. Arab-led parties made record gains, making their alliance a possible coalition partner. Jabareen argued the case is election-motivated. Shin Bet chief David Zini has reportedly sought to question Arab party leaders.