An Israeli court has extended the detention of Ahmed Al-Betawi, editor at Quds Press International News Agency, for eight days, claiming further investigations are needed, his legal team said yesterday.

Lawyer, Gamal Mohamed, added that the investigation was taking place in the Petah Tikva detention center where Al-Betawi was detained since his arrest at his house in Nablus last Monday.

Mohamed pointed out that the Israeli court has refused to allow any of Al-Betawi’s lawyers to be present to defend him during the court sessions, stating that he submitted a request to visit the detainee in the coming days.

Israeli court extends detention of Quds Press editor https://t.co/swXtJAS7wB via @sharethis#Israel #Palestine #Court #Betawi #Nablus #Tikva

— Palestine Foundation (@plfpak) June 8, 2015

At 3am on Monday, Israeli occupation soldiers stormed Al-Betawi’s family home, located in Al-Dahiya neighborhood, east of Nablus. He was searched, and his belongings and laptop confiscated, after which he was taken to an unknown location.

Al-Betawi, 33, was also arrested in February, but was released on bail in May and placed under house arrest during which he was allowed to leave his house for only one hour a day.

(MEMO, PC)