Jewish US Congressmen demand 'Israel' release detained Palestinian journalist Abed Abu Shehadeh

• Masked 'Israeli' police and Shin Bet agents arrested Abu Shehadeh in Jaffa on election night, detaining him on classified "foreign agent" allegations
• Legal group Adalah stated interrogation centered exclusively on his podcast interview with exiled figure Azmi Bishara
• Lawmakers warned the arrest targets press freedom amid efforts to undermine historic election gains by Palestinian citizens

Three newly elected Jewish members of the United States Congress have sent an urgent appeal to 'Israeli' Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, calling for the immediate release of Palestinian journalist, political analyst, and citizen of 'Israel' Abed Abu Shehadeh following his arrest by 'Israeli' authorities.

The letter, dated November 6, 2026, was signed by Congressmembers-elect Brad Lander (NY-10), Daniel Biss (IL-9), and Scott Wiener (CA-11), who identified themselves as incoming lawmakers who "care deeply for 'Israel' and its democracy" following their election on November 3.

According to the letter, approximately fifteen masked 'Israel' Police and Shin Bet officers entered Abu Shehadeh’s home in Jaffa late Tuesday night, searched the premises, and took him into custody.

The following day, a court extended his detention through Sunday on suspicion of "contact with a foreign agent," relying on secret evidence that has not been shared with his attorneys.

Lawyers from Adalah representing Abu Shehadeh in court reported that interrogators questioned him about a single subject: a podcast interview he recently conducted with Azmi Bishara, a public figure whom Abu Shehadeh had previously interviewed without any warning from authorities.

"Interviewing political figures — including controversial ones — is the core work of journalism in a free society," the lawmakers wrote, adding that "detaining a reporter for conducting an interview is the kind of act that representatives in democracies rightly condemn when governments commit it".

Abu Shehadeh serves on the editorial board of Arab48, hosts the Arabic-language news podcast Al-Midan, is the elected chair of the Islamic Council in Jaffa, and has written in English for Al Jazeera, +972 Magazine, and other outlets.

The lawmakers highlighted direct connections between Abu Shehadeh and their constituents, noting that some of Lander’s constituents met Abu Shehadeh in Jaffa during a recent synagogue delegation from Brooklyn's Congregation Beth Elohim focused on Jewish and Palestinian peacebuilders.

Others had met him at the Jewish Currents Live conference in Brooklyn in October, where he spoke on panels regarding democratic approaches to 'Israeli' and Palestinian politics.

The representatives also raised alarms over the timing of the arrest, which came amid reported efforts by senior 'Israeli' officials to cast doubt on the participation of Palestinian citizens in 'Israel's' recent general election, in which Palestinian-led parties secured a historic number of seats, and as 'Israel's' Central Elections Committee certified the results.

"Whatever one's politics, a democracy's legitimacy depends on the freedom of its journalists to report and its citizens to participate in elections and civic life without fear of reprisal," the letter stated.

Addressing international legal obligations, the lawmakers underscored that 'Israel' is bound by covenants it has ratified, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantee freedom of information and protect journalists from arbitrary arrest and detention for legitimate reporting.

The signatories also referenced their own record of speaking out against detentions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stressing that the same due process standards must apply universally.

The lawmakers formally urged the Government of 'Israel' to:

1. Release Abed Abu Shehadeh immediately.
2. Disclose the evidence to his counsel and proceed in open court with full due-process protections if any charge is to be brought.
3. End the interrogation and prosecution of journalists for interviews and reporting.
4. Refrain from arrests and investigations of Palestinian journalists, political figures, and voters intended to discredit the outcome of 'Israel's' election.

Warning that the longstanding alliance between the United States and 'Israel' rests on shared democratic values and international covenants currently being tested, the lawmakers requested an expedited response to their concerns.