Outrage as Shin Bet Jewish Division admits unlawful arrests and settler abuse

A., the head of the Jewish Division in the Shin Bet, called Jewish suspects in Judea and Samaria "schmucks" and claimed they were detained "even without evidence."

In a conversation recorded and exposed by Kan 11, the senior Shin Bet official is heard telling Chief Superintendent Avishai Moalem, commander of the Judea and Samaria Serious Crimes Unit (Yamar): "Put them in detention cells, with rats."

Chief Superintendent Avishai Moalem was forced to take leave due to an investigation by the Department of Internal Police Investigations (Machash) against him, on suspicion of leaking classified information to the office of Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in exchange for a promotion within the police force.

In the recording exposed by Kan, the head of the Jewish Division in the Shin Bet is heard saying to Chief Superintendent Moalem regarding Jewish suspects: "We always want to detain them for questioning, as many as possible. See how Shin Bet interrogations are conducted with them. We arrest these 'schmucks' even without evidence for a few days."

The Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, responded to the recording’s exposure, saying: "The information revealed is an earthquake. The head of the Jewish Division must be fired this evening. I will appeal to the Prime Minister to summon the Shin Bet chief for clarification.

"The Jewish Division in the Shin Bet, under Ronen Bar, operates like a mafia organization, criminally persecuting settlers in violation of the law, treating heroic IDF soldiers from Judea and Samaria as 'militias,' and framing cases against an outstanding police officer, Chief Superintendent Avishai Moalem, commander of Yamar, who refused to comply with the Shin Bet’s mafia-like demands due to his loyalty to the law and refusal to break it. Machash acted as an executive arm of the Shin Bet and framed a case against Moalem. This is a direct continuation of the Shin Bet’s espionage against the police and the prison service. We must put an end to this law-protected criminality."

The Shin Bet responded to Kan, stating: "This conversation refers solely to lawbreakers suspected of terrorism who took the law into their own hands. However, since the content and style of the remarks do not align with the service’s values and professional conduct, the head of the service has ordered a review with the division head, and the findings will be presented to him.

"It should be emphasized that the arrest of Israeli citizens suspected of terrorist activity is carried out after a professional judgment and rigorous evaluation of intelligence by professional authorities, including senior officials, and is further reviewed through independent judicial oversight by the court. This does not justify expressions of this kind made during the conversation."

In response, the Prime Minister’s Office released this statement:The shocking recording of the head of the Jewish Division in the Shin Bet, exposed by Ayala Hasson, poses a real danger to democracy.

In light of this serious recording, the Prime Minister will demand a thorough investigation into the activities of the Jewish Division in the Shin Bet.

It is unacceptable that in a state governed by law, citizens are arrested without evidence and subjected to illegal and cruel detention conditions.

Only in dark regimes does the secret service operate in such a dangerous manner.

In Israel, there will be no shadowy government within the state. "

Kikar HaShabbat contributed to this article.