Police quizzed Israeli Arab MK said to slip cellphones to security prisoners

Lawmaker Bassal Ghatas, a member of the United Arab List, reported to the police Tuesday for questioning about allegations that he smuggled banned cell phones to Palestinian prisoners convicted of security offenses A search of their cells at the Ketziot jail after his visit turned up a dozen hidden cell phones. Using his parliamentary immunity to avoid being searched at the prison gates, he is also suspected of carrying messages from terrorist organizations to the prisoners. He went to ground for 24 hours after he was caught practically red-handed before announcing he was ready to face the police. 

Another former Knesset member of Ghatas’ Balad faction, Azmi Beshara, has been on the run outside Israel for years to elude charges of passing secrets to the Lebanese Hizballah.