Overview

• Israel Police detained the former Balad Knesset member on Sunday on suspicion of incitement to terrorism and publicly expressing support for a terrorist organization.
• The investigation focuses on statements she made at the Palestine Congress in Vienna in October 2024, including comments characterizing the October 7 attackers as entering “their own land.”
• Police said they collected evidence and reviewed it with relevant authorities, and VINnews reported the Attorney General’s Office approved the probe, with no public indictment announced.
• Hadash condemned the detention as political persecution intended to silence opposition to the Gaza war, and Zoabi’s attorney called it a public relations move by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
• In a statement, police vowed firm action during wartime against praise or identification with terrorist groups, while Zoabi’s public profile includes past controversies such as the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla and a 2022 forgery conviction.