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The Mista'arvim: an Elite Israeli Undercover Unit Disguised as Palestinians


(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed-UK) Emad Moussa - Mista'arvim is a Hebrew word derived from the Arabic musta'ribeen, which means those who disguise themselves as Arabs. They dress, speak, and act like Palestinians, and carry out missions in the heart of Arab towns and cities. Among other roles, the mista'arvim operate during Palestinian riots and even partake in burning tires and hurling rocks. They usually wear keffiyehs and leave their shirts untucked to conceal their handguns. They target young Palestinians closest to the Israeli army's front line and arrest them. The goal is to create an atmosphere of distrust, paranoia, and fear, thus discouraging riots. "You can't really know if this person next to you is another Palestinian like you or an undercover agent that can abduct you at any moment or pull out a weapon," explained Esmat Omar, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs and intelligence. (Al-Araby Al-Jadeed-UK) - Emad Moussa Mista'arvim is a Hebrew word derived from the Arabic musta'ribeen, which means those who disguise themselves as Arabs. They dress, speak, and act like Palestinians, and carry out missions in the heart of Arab towns and cities. Among other roles, the mista'arvim operate during Palestinian riots and even partake in burning tires and hurling rocks. They usually wear keffiyehs and leave their shirts untucked to conceal their handguns. They target young Palestinians closest to the Israeli army's front line and arrest them. The goal is to create an atmosphere of distrust, paranoia, and fear, thus discouraging riots. "You can't really know if this person next to you is another Palestinian like you or an undercover agent that can abduct you at any moment or pull out a weapon," explained Esmat Omar, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs and intelligence.
2022-04-21 00:00:00
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