View of Hebbariyeh, a village in Arkoub, south Lebanon. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L'Orient-Le Jour)
The Israeli army infiltrated the village of Hebbarieh in the eastern border sector of southern Lebanon around 2 a.m. from Sunday night, and abducted an al-Jamaa al-Islamiya leader, Atweh Atweh.
According to information from our correspondent and local residents, about twenty Israeli infantry soldiers entered the village in the Arkoub region on foot. They stormed Mr. Atweh's home, physically assaulted his family, and abducted him to Israel. In the morning, the Lebanese army arrived on the scene to inspect the Atweh family home, to ensure the Israelis had not booby-trapped the building.
Transferred to Israel 'for questioning'
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the abduction, carried out by "forces of the 210th division," according to a statement on X by Arabic-language spokesperson Ella Waweya. She said the operation targeted an "important terrorist element" of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya who "was transferred to Israel for questioning." According to the army, "weapons were also discovered inside the building" from which Mr. Atweh was taken. The army accused him of carrying out, during the war (October 2023 - November 2024) and "up to the past few days," "terrorist activities against the State of Israel and its citizens on the northern front."
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya is a Lebanese party that – like Hezbollah but on a smaller scale – has armed fighters. It is close to Hamas and the "Axis of Resistance" and, like the Palestinian movement, originates from the international Muslim Brotherhood. Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya is represented in the Lebanese Parliament by MP Imad al-Hout, and has been targeted multiple times by Israel during the war. In April, a leading member of the Atweh family was killed in a targeted strike in Mount Lebanon, and during the war between Israel and Hezbollah in April 2024, a strike killed about ten rescue workers from an organization linked to the movement in Hebbariyeh. Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya and its leader, Mohammad Takouch, were sanctioned — along with the Muslim Brotherhood — by the United States in mid-January.
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya questions the timing
The group condemned the abduction of Atweh. It denounced the Israeli army infiltration, holding it "fully responsible for any harm that may be caused" to its Hasbaya-Marjayoun area official, and said this act is "part of a continuous series of daily violations and barbaric attacks against Lebanese sovereignty."
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya also questioned the timing of this kidnapping, which came a day after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited south Lebanon, specifically the Arkoub region. The group claims that Israel wants “to intimidate residents to push them to leave their villages and lands,” and calls on authorities to pressure the international community to secure the release of Atweh and other Lebanese detainees held in Israel. Twenty Lebanese are currently being held in Israeli jails, after being abducted during the war and after the November 2024 cease-fire. Nine of them are civilians.
The municipality of Kfarshouba (Hasbaya district) also condemned in a statement the kidnapping of Atweh, calling on the Lebanese state and all international bodies to act immediately to secure his release and to protect southern villages.
"As soon as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam left following his visit to the Marjayoun – Hasbaya area and the Arkoub region, an Israeli force ... abducted Atweh from his home," the municipality said.
"This shows that the Israeli enemy neither respects nor seeks Lebanon’s sovereignty or security, and continues to terrorize peaceful civilians in their homes and on their land," the municipality added. "We condemn this violation of our national sovereignty and this infringement on Lebanese homes."
Prime Minister 'strongly condemns' the abduction
The Prime Minister “strongly condemned” the abduction, describing the Israeli incursion as “a blatant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, a breach of the cease-fire declaration, and a transgression of international law,” according to a statement posted on the Grand Serail’s X account. He added that he had “tasked Foreign Minister Joe Raggi to intervene immediately and follow up on this matter with the United Nations.”
He also renewed the call for the release of all Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails as soon as possible.
Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, for his part, denounced “the abduction of citizen [Atweh Atweh] by Israeli forces,” stating that “this escalation is unacceptable in all its forms and constitutes a clear violation of sovereignty and security.” He reiterated his call for “the release of all Lebanese detainees imprisoned by Israel.”
Israeli infiltrations into Lebanon are common despite the cease-fire agreement. The latter calls for a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from south Lebanon, but the army still occupies at least six positions in the area. It also continues to regularly shell several regions, saying it is targeting Hezbollah, which refuses to disarm throughout the country as required by the cease-fire agreement.
