Palestinian activist defies Israeli interrogation order

By SAM MCNEIL
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — A leading Palestinian rights campaigner says that Israel has tried to summon him for questioning as it presses ahead with a crackdown on Palestinian rights groups. The crackdown comes despite tough European and American pushback against Israel’s claims that the targeted groups are linked with militants. Sunday’s apparent attempt to order Shawan Jabarin to report to a military prison came in the wake of a widely criticized raid last week on six Palestinian civil society organizations. Nine European countries, using uncharacteristically blunt language, called the raid “not acceptable,” while the U.S. expressed concern. Jabarin says he rejected the order from Israel’s Shin Bet security agency. The Shin Bet did not respond to requests for comment.