Christian Teen Detained at Airport for Alleged IDF Desertion

Lia Fredella, a Christian resident of East Jerusalem with Polish citizenship but no Israeli citizenship, was detained at Ben Gurion Airport this week by military police who accused her of deserting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Fredella, who grew up in an Arab-Christian household and does not speak Hebrew, was reportedly taken from the queue while traveling with her family.

Her mother, Gabrielle, stated that her daughter was "pulled from the line" and taken to jail in a police car. She described the incident as a "terrible mistake" and claimed that officials refused to listen to her explanations. Fredella's mother believes that IDF draft notices were mistakenly sent to an old address in Petah Tikva where the family no longer lives, explaining why they never received them.

According to Israeli law, permanent residents who are not citizens are also obligated to enlist, although the IDF generally refrains from drafting East Jerusalem residents as a security policy. Fredella is currently being held in a military prison without access to legal counsel. Her mother described the situation as a "horror movie," insisting her daughter is innocent and imprisoned in a foreign place without understanding why.

"This was supposed to be her first flight ever. For over 24 hours, I haven't known where my daughter is. She didn't kill anyone, she's not a draft dodger. It's not like we received draft notices and ignored them. This is a girl who was playing with her sister and her cat yesterday, and now she's in jail. I don't know what to do, they're not giving me information," the mother said, emphasizing that her daughter is "not Jewish and not Israeli. She is a Polish-Christian girl living in East Jerusalem."

The IDF stated, "The matter is being handled. The IDF sends draft notices in accordance with the law."