July 16 – Aladin Hassan, a Palestinian Israeli national who opted to play in the Qatar league and made his debut for Palestine in September 2023, has said he has been subjected to multiple interrogations by Israeli authorities.
The 25-year-old who is from the Arab town of Mashhad in northern Israel played his youth football for Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Kafr Kanna before making his professional debut in 2021 with Hapoel Kaukab. He later signed with Kafr Qasim and later Hapoel Umm al-Fahm. He was with Bnei Sakhnin in Israel’s Premier League before joining Al-Arabi in February 2024.
In an interview with Israeli new outlet Haaretz he said he has been threatened by Shin bet – the Israel Security Agency, responsible for internal security and counter-terrorism – who accused him of ‘aligning with an enemy state’ and threatened to strip him of citizenship.
On April 5, Hassan was stopped at Ben-Gurion Airport from Doha.
“I was detained and thoroughly searched by Israeli authorities,” he told Haaretz. “I was then taken for a lengthy interrogation by the Shin Bet inside the airport that lasted nearly nine continuous hours before I was released. They also confiscated my mobile phone, which they have yet to return.”
Six days later, he was called in for further questioning to the Shin Bet office in Nazareth. “The interrogation focused on my representation of the Palestinian national team…the officers were visibly angry about my decision to join Al-Arabi SC, accusing me of aligning with what they consider a ‘hostile state,’ referring to Qatar.”
“A Shin Bet officer told me, word for word: ‘If it were up to us alone, we would have already revoked your citizenship,'” said Hassan. “They threatened to strip me of my nationality, to monitor me constantly, and to end my career. I was told I would remain under surveillance indefinitely.”
When Hassan arrived at the airport to return to Qatar, he was again subjected to interrogation and delays. “My family members and close relatives were also threatened because of me,” he added.
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) issued a statement condemning a “serious violation” against the national team player and “Israel’s attempts to intimidate and punish athletes who represent Palestine on the international stage”.
Shin Bet told Haaretz that Hassan was questioned in April 2025 due to suspicions of links to “terrorist elements abroad”. It “categorically denied” Hassan’s claim that his sports career and citizenship were threatened.
FIFA has been asked for comment.
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