The head of the Jewish Department of the Shin Bet (ISA) announced on Sunday that he would suspend himself until the end of an internal investigation into remarks attributed to him that were revealed on Saturday. In an internal statement to department staff, he wrote: "I am sorry from the depths of my heart for the style of the things that were said, which do not characterize how I deal with the many other bodies with whom we collaborate." He added: "I totally discredit the attempt to create an appearance of work that violates the law or the values of restraint of power and statesmanship. I misspoke in a way that does not match the agency's values and my own, and therefore, to allow for a thorough examination and through my dedication to leading by example, I suspend myself from my position as the head of the department until the completion of the thorough examination of the issue." At the same time, the Shin Bet director ordered an in-depth inquiry into the remarks. He contacted the head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and invited the Subcommittee for Intelligence and Secret Services to visit the Jewish Department to present its work and its existing oversight mechanisms. The Shin Bet emphasized: "All operations in the various realms that the organization oversees are in line with the law." Related articles: Security forces arrest 20 suspects in Judea and Samaria Palestinian expert: Israel is annexing Judea and Samaria Security forces arrest accomplices to Funduq terror attack Terrorist who hurled rocks at security forces is arrested In recordings that were published on Saturday, A., the head of the ISA's Jewish Department, is heard calling suspects from Judea and Samaria "shmucks" and saying that he detained them without evidence for a few days. In a conversation, which was exposed by Kan TV , the official was heard telling the commander of the Judea and Samaria Police Central Unit, Avishi Moalem: "Put them in detention cells, with mice." During the conversation, the ISA official added, "We always want to arrest them for interrogation, as much as possible. See how ISA conducts investigations with them. We arrest those shmucks even without evidence for a few days." Moalem warned: "They will tear us apart for this." The ISA official replied: "It is under the aegis of the head of the ISA and Defense Minister."
