Israeli Cyber Unit Charges Palestinian Refugee for Threatening Religious MK with Fake Profile

A 30-year-old resident of the Shuafat refugee camp has been indicted for impersonating another person and sending serious threats via social media to Israeli religious MK Tzvi Sukkot, a Shin Bet coordinator, and a government minister. The case, investigated by the National Cyber Unit of Lahav 433, began in July when the suspect, using the alias "Tarzan," sought revenge against a neighbor with whom he had a personal dispute. Instead of confronting him directly, the suspect created a fake Facebook profile using the neighbor's photo and details to carry out a campaign of psychological and criminal harassment.

The suspect escalated his online attacks by sending threatening messages, including a photo of a handgun, magazine, and live ammunition to the Shin Bet coordinator in Shuafat, accompanied by a message stating, "I have a gun at home and I shoot openly every day." He also sent a crude, misspelled threat to MK Tzvi Sukkot, calling him a "terrorist settler" and threatening him with death. Additional messages included violent threats using offensive language.

Following urgent reports, Lahav 433's cyber unit launched a covert and overt investigation using advanced technological tools to uncover the suspect's true identity behind the digital disguise. They identified the perpetrator as the 30-year-old Shuafat resident, leading to his arrest. After completing the investigation, the case was handed to the Lahav 433 prosecution unit, which filed a detailed indictment and requested his detention until the end of legal proceedings due to his high danger level. The court approved the request, extending his detention pending further decisions.