Israel News

Jerusalem man charged with spying for Hezbollah

Prosecutors allege that the man contacted Hezbollah and offered to work for them, carrying out a number of operations in Israel.

By World Israel News staff

A Jerusalem resident in his 30s was charged Friday with aiding Hezbollah by sending the terror group information over the course of a decade.

Prosecutors filed an indictment against Ahmad Zahra in Jerusalem’s District Court, accusing him of contact with a foreign agent, and providing information that harms state security to an enemy, Israeli media has reported.

According to the filing, Zahra, 32, reached out to Hezbollah nine years ago, via a man in Lebanon, and told them he wanted to work for the terror group as an informant from within Israel. Prosecutors alleged that he traveled to Ramallah to make contact with his handlers

He is alleged to have then carried out various tasks, among them, photographing satellite dishes he believed were part of a strategic site, and reporting on unrest within the Palestinian population of the city.

His activities are said to have ceased for some years, but to have resumed within the last year when, while on his honeymoon in Turkey, Zahra was handed encryption software by the group to allow him to resume contact with his handlers, which he did upon his return to Israel.

He was then arrested before he could undertake new missions.

The investigation into Zahra’s activities was carried out by Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security forces, and Israel Police’s International Crime Investigations Unit.

Zahra’s arrest follows the conviction in December of an Arab Israeli woman who was found to have been photographing various sites, including Iron Dome batteries and military bases, on behalf of Hezbollah. She was sentenced to two and a half years in jail.

It also comes as Israel Police in Jerusalem wrapped up an investigation into Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas who serves as one of its leaders in the Judea and Samaria region, who is accused of inciting terrorism and supporting a terrorist organization.

Share
Published by
donna edmunds
Tags: Hezbollah Jerusalem Ramallah spying

Recent Posts

  • Israel News

Oct. 7 bereaved mother gets call from daughter aboard flight nearly hijacked

Her daughter, traveling alone, held another passenger’s hand and prayed as the aircraft lost altitude.

4 hours ago
  • Israel News

Israeli passenger says Flydubai pilots aboard aircraft ‘froze’ as he fought attacker

The passenger gave his account during several hours of WhatsApp correspondence Wednesday while in Saudi…

5 hours ago
  • Videos

WATCH: Netanyahu meets Israeli hero who subdued flydubai copilot

Netanyahu greeted passengers from the nearly hijacked flydubai flight Wednesday, personally meeting Yaniv Hayoun, the…

8 hours ago
  • Israel News

Ancient Acre fortress comes alive in a new sound and light show

The nearly $5 million project inaugurated this summer with funding by the Israeli Tourism Ministry…

8 hours ago
  • Videos

WATCH: Nearly hijacked flydubai flight arrives in Israel

After hours of chaos and uncertainty, more than 150 Israeli passengers aboard the Flydubai flight…

8 hours ago
  • World News

Berlin Jewish community pulls Chanukah menorah from town hall after left party election surge

In recent years, the Jewish Chanukah celebration has become one of the largest annual events…

8 hours ago