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The United States on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of a US citizen detained by the Palestinian Authority after it would have helped facilitate the sale of real estate in Jerusalem to Jewish shoppers.
Last month, Issam Akel, a 53-year-old resident Arab citizen of Jerusalem, who has both US citizenship and an Israeli identity card, was captured by Palestinian Authority agents. after being accused of having worked as an intermediary in the sale of goods to the "Aqaba Darwish" section of the Old City of Jerusalem intended for Jews.
The leaders of the Palestinian Authority condemned the sale and called for a thorough investigation.
On Wednesday, US Ambbadador to Israel David Friedman condemned the Palestinian Authority for kidnapping Akel and demanded his immediate release.
"The authority of the friends holds the American citizen Isaam Akel in prison since about 2 months," tweeted Friedman.
"His" crime "suspected of selling land to a Jew Akel's incarceration runs counter to the values of the United States and all those who defend the cause of peaceful coexistence, and we demand his immediate release.
Under the law of the Palestinian Authority, the sale of land to Jews is illegal and punishable by death. However, such sentences must be approved by the President of the Palestinian Authority, and the current President, Mahmoud Abbas, preferred to authorize life sentences for such offenses, probably out of fear of a reaction. international.
In 2014, Abbas has hardened the Palestinian Authority's law against the sale of property to Israeli Jews, so that all Palestinian Arabs involved in renting, selling or facilitating real estate transactions with citizens of "hostile countries" are condemned to life imprisonment and forced labor.
Israeli security forces arrested two PA officials in connection with the Akel kidnapping. Both were later released.
Earlier this month, Israeli police raided one of the offices of the head of the Palestinian Authority in the Jerusalem District. Police arrested the leader, Adnan Gheith, a second time, taking him back to custody on Sunday.
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