Nazareth Court Condemns Police Arrest of Caregiver Seeking Help

A 52-year-old Palestinian woman working as a caregiver for an elderly resident in Tuba-Zangariyye contacted the Israel Police to report that her employer's family was holding her against her will and preventing her from returning home. Instead of rescuing her, responding officers arrested her on suspicion of unlawful presence in Israel. The Nazareth District Court severely criticized the police conduct and ordered her immediate release.

The woman, a West Bank resident staying in Israel without a permit, was employed in the Upper Galilee locality. When she called emergency dispatchers stating she was being detained by the family, officers arrived at the scene but chose to arrest her solely due to her lack of a valid residency permit.

Subsequently, the police requested the Nazareth Magistrate's Court to extend her detention by five days. The court partially granted the request, ordering her held for an additional two days to complete the investigation.

The Public Defender's Office appealed the decision to the Nazareth District Court through attorney Zaher Abbas. During the proceedings, it emerged that even law enforcement officials acknowledged the woman was unlikely to face trial for her immigration status, and her continued detention was effectively being used to facilitate an investigation against the individual she had accused.

Judge Hanna Saba criticized the decision to keep the victim detained under such circumstances, stating that it is unacceptable for someone seeking police assistance to find themselves behind bars. The court accepted the defense appeal, overturned the lower court ruling, and ordered the woman released.

In response, the Israel Police stated that both individuals were detained for questioning following a dispute between a local resident and the undocumented West Bank resident, and following the district court ruling, the woman was released and transferred back to the Palestinian Authority territories.