US Citizen Finally Released from Palestinian Authority Prison

Issam Akel, an Israeli-Arab with US citizenship, who was arrested by the Palestinian Authority (PA) for helping facilitate land sales in Jerusalem to Jews, was released from PA prison on Thursday, according to Kan News.

The Palestinian Authority arrested Akel in October after he allegedly helped sell a house in the Old City of Jerusalem to Ateret Cohanim, an Israeli NGO involved in reclaiming properties Jerusalem.

Akel was sentenced to life in prison with hard labor, which was lucky, because the official punishment for the "crime" of selling land to Jews under Palestinian Authority law is the death sentence.

What worked in Akel's favor, and which apparently helped get him released, is that Akel also holds US citizenship.

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