Mossad Reportedly Interrogates Palestinian Journalist in Spain

Palestinian journalist Muath Hamed. (Photo: Courtesy of Público)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff-April 10, 2021

Público, a popular Spanish online newspaper, reported on Friday on the case of Palestinian journalist, Muath Hamed, who was interrogated by the Israeli Mossad on Spanish soil.

Hamed is a refugee in Spain, who currently lives in the city of Lemoa with his wife and two children. 

While the Israeli Intelligence agency Mossad is known to operate in many parts of the world, especially Europe, coordinating its operations with European authorities is rarely reported. 

On December 9, Hamed received a first telephone call by a man named Nicolás, an officer on duty at the (Spanish) Information Services of the Civil Guard, Público reported.

“Nicolás wanted to discuss Hamed’s work as a journalist, his past, and his current life in Spain. This is a standard procedure for refugees and migrants”, the newspaper added.  

Thus far, Hamed was not worried that any of this is out of the ordinary.

When Hamed reached the place of the meeting in the town of Bilbao he met another officer, named Javier. “Hamed answered all the questions, explaining the reasons why he applied for asylum in Spain and describing his journey from Palestine to Europe through Turkey,” according to the paper.

“In early February, the young Palestinian journalist was summoned again by Nicolás, … this time in the (Spanish capital), Madrid.” 

When he went to one of the offices of the Civil Guard, “he was not even identified or registered.” 

“Aside from Javier, this time there was another man in the room, allegedly named Omar, “who was introduced to him as a Palestinian. (Hamed, however,) immediately noticed his strong Israeli accent … and he decided to answer his questions in Hebrew.”

After Omar acknowledged he was an Israeli, Javier “left the room, leaving Muath in the hands of the supposed Mossad agent,… who threatened the Palestinian journalist and his family, saying that they will never be allowed to go back to Palestine due to one of his journalistic investigations” related to the Israeli intelligence agency.

Público sought comments and clarifications from the Israeli Embassy and the Civil Guard and Spain’s Interior Ministry. However, it received no answer, the Spanish newspaper reported.