Israel dodges comment on Turkish aid worker’s arrest

By Kaamil Ahmed

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli authorities on Tuesday refused to comment on the detention this weekend of the representative in Gaza of Turkey’s official aid agency TIKA.

"Due to a court gag order, we can't yet give any information regarding this detention," Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, said in response to a request for comment by Anadolu Agency.

Mohamed Mortaji, TIKA’s Gaza representative and a Palestinian citizen, was detained Sunday at the Erez border checkpoint between Israel and the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Mortaji had reportedly been planning to travel to Turkey for a training program.

Informed sources told Anadolu Agency that Mortaji was detained despite having obtained a permit from the Israeli authorities to cross into Israel from Gaza.

The Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv has since been in contact with the Israeli authorities to look into the issue, while TIKA officials have contacted Israel’s embassy in Ankara to inquire about Mortaji's condition and the reasons for his detention, the sources said.

COGAT, the Israeli military authority that operates security checkpoints throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, said Mortaji's detention fell under the jurisdiction of Shin Bet.