Israeli Army Admits It Is Detaining 2 Arab-Americans

The Israeli army acknowledged Saturday that it was holding two Arab-American men whose whereabouts have been questioned by a U.S. senator, but officials refused to give details.

Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) has asked that the men be released.

The army said it had no information about a third Arab-American also being held according to Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Zalman Shoval.

Asked whether Mohammed Jarad, 36, and Mohammed Salah, 39, of the Chicago area had been detained in the West Bank city of Ramallah, a military official replied, “They indeed have been detained.”

Edward Salazar, a foreign policy specialist in Simon’s office, said he was told the men were arrested on Monday “out of some security concerns.”

Jarad was born in Ramallah and Salah in Jerusalem, but both have lived in the United States for about 20 years and are naturalized citizens. Both were said to be visiting relatives.

Families of the men denied reports in the United States that the detainees had links to Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist group.