The Israeli authorities announced on Tuesday January 17 that they had expelled an Italian woman arrested the day before during a military operation in the occupied West Bank and suspected of belonging to a “
terrorist
” organization.
"
Stefania Costantini, who entered Israel on May 2, 2022 with a tourist visa, is suspected of belonging to
the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)", an organization deemed "
terrorist
" by Israel and the European Union, said the Shin Beth, the Israeli internal security service, told AFP.
Return to Italy
She did not show up for a summons from the Shin Bet in September 2022 and “
continued her activities
” for the PFLP, before being arrested on Monday January 16 “
for questioning
”, continued this source.
Stefania Costantini (50) was then "
transferred to the immigration services who decided to deport her
", according to the Shin Beth.
She was deported on Monday afternoon to Italy, a spokeswoman for the Israeli immigration services confirmed to AFP.
Contacted by AFP, the Italian consulate general in Jerusalem did not wish to react immediately.
Stefania Costantini was arrested during an Israeli army operation in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, during which a 14-year-old Palestinian boy was killed on Monday by Israeli gunfire.
Read alsoSpike in immigration to Israel fueled by the war in Ukraine
Israeli and Italian foreign ministers Eli Cohen and Antonio Tajani said on Twitter that they had a telephone conversation on Monday, without specifying whether they had discussed the case of Stefania Costantini.