An IDF soldier who was abducted from Be'er Sheva and taken into the West Bank freed himself from restraints and was rescued, according to Israeli police and Ynet. A 49-year-old Palestinian Authority resident, Walid Farouq, an employee of the Palestinian Preventive Security, was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the kidnapping. The soldier was bound, blindfolded, and taken to the Hebron area before escaping.
The abduction unfolded Friday afternoon when an IDF soldier in uniform was reportedly grabbed from a street in Be'er Sheva, forced into a vehicle, and driven toward the southern West Bank. During the ride, the soldier was handcuffed and blindfolded. The vehicle reached the Hebron area before the soldier managed to free himself from the restraints, according to police details cited by Ynet. He was found by Palestinian security forces and transferred back to Israeli territory.
Israeli police have arrested Walid Farouq, a 49-year-old resident of the Palestinian Authority who works for the Palestinian Preventive Security (the Palestinian Shin Bet), on suspicion of orchestrating the abduction. The Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court on Friday extended his remand by four days. Police described the motive as criminal rather than ideological, though an investigation is ongoing.
As The Zioneer reported earlier on Friday, the soldier freed himself and was rescued after being found bound in the West Bank town of Tarqumiya. The current report adds that the abduction targeted the soldier in uniform in Be'er Sheva, that he was blindfolded and taken to the southern Hebron area, and that the suspect is a PA security employee. The identity and condition of the soldier have not been officially released.
2 developments
- StrongWalid Farouq, Palestinian Shin Bet employee, arrested on suspicion of kidnapping IDF soldier — police
- StrongIDF soldier found handcuffed in West Bank town, rescued by police — police say criminal motive
- StrongLebanese sources: IDF patrol abducts municipal worker from Kfar Shouba near Har Dov
- StrongIsraeli civilians located by IDF after fleeing into West Bank village
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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