VIDEO - What began as a kidnapping drama, apparently ended peacefully early Sunday when sources in Nablus reported that the American student kidnapped near the city was transferred to the Palestinian Authority Preventive Security Service, and then handed over to Israel at the Hawara checkpoint.
Following a short interrogation by security forces, the student was released to his home in Jerusalem, where he is staying as part of a student exchange program.
The student spoke to his father on the phone at the checkpoint and assured him that he was okay.
The student, Benjamin Bright-Fishbein, who says he is very fond of the local culture, has already visited Jericho and Jordan in the past, and now decided to pay a visit to Nablus. This time he was almost forced to pay a heavy price: While sitting relaxed in a city café, he was kidnapped by gunmen who threatened to execute him.
Israelis are banned from entering the Palestinian Authority's zone A, but this prohibition does not apply to foreign citizens.
The drama began at around midnight, when the defense establishment began looking into a report that a foreign civilian, a resident of Jerusalem, was kidnapped near Nablus by members of the Fatah's al-Aqsa Brigades.
Photographs showing the abducted student were sent to the Reuters news agency and were aired on the al-Jazeera network. Israeli officials said that "the report has not been verified yet, but both the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet are looking into it."
The al-Aqsa Brigades also sent a tape showing the young man, in his 20s, demanding that prisoners be freed in exchange for this release, threatening to kill the man if the prisoners are not released.
'He was not hurt'
The defense establishment began searching Jerusalem for students meeting the kidnapped student's description. The inquiry also focused on the intelligence level.
Reuters, which received the tape, reported that the man, wearing a skullcap, was seen saying in Arabic: "If the prisoners are not released, they will execute me." He was holding a Hebrew University student certificate with the name Benjamin Bright-Fishbein on it.
Rafa Hawajaba, commander of the Preventive Security Service in Nablus, told Ynet earlier that the young American passed through his officer. According to the Palestinian officer, Bright-Fishbein was in good condition and was not hurt.
Hawajaba said that he had been in contact with the Israeli side in order to hand over the young man. He added that the student was allowed to talk to his family.
The young man was apparently released following many efforts exerted by elements in the al-Aqsa Brigades, who were not happy with the organization's involvement in the incident. They claimed that the Brigades were not involved and that "their name is being used for unworthy causes."
The fact that the student is American was also in his favor, as the Palestinians did not want to raise Washington's fury and increase international pressure on them.
Ali Waked, Efrat Weiss and Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
First published: 07:21, 06.11.6