Farjas Awidat
Israeli missing in Syria for 7 years
Family of Golan Heights Druze Farjas Awidat, who went missing while studying in Damascus University, believe Syria is holding him on suspicion he spied for Israel, asks Red Cross for information
Vanished: The family members of Farjas Awidat, 41, who went missing seven years ago in Damascus, petitioned the Red Cross Thursday for information available on his case.
Awidat, a resident of Israel's northern Druze village of Majdal Shams, left Israel nine year ago in favor of the Damascus University. He went missing during his third year in Damascus.
Awidat's family believes that he was detained by Syrian authorities on suspicion of spying for Israel.
"We have relatives in Damascus who told us that he disappeared for several days, and then came back with members of the Muhabarat (Syrian intelligence)," said a family member. "They let him into his apartment, beat him up, took some stuff from there and put him on a jeep. We haven't heard from him since."
For years the family has been trying to pull strings in Syria in order to find out details of their son's whereabouts, but has never asked for the assistance of Israeli authorities.
Several weeks ago Awidat's mother met MK Ayoob Kara while he was visiting the Golan Heights, and the politician decided to help the family. "I urge the Red Cross to inform the family whether he is alive or dead, and where he is being held," he said.
Awidat's cousin explained that the family did not involve the Israeli authorities until now, for fear this could lead to his murder. "The only thing we did was turn to Azmi Bishara, because we knew he was visiting Syria, but he didn't help either. We now realized that it's time to get this out to the media."
