Israel Matzav: And you thought this could only happen in Saudi Arabia

And you thought this could only happen in Saudi Arabia

Several years ago, I recall reading a Wall Street Journal story about American women who married Saudi men who were living in the United States (often as students) who went with them on a visit to Saudi Arabia and then were not allowed to leave. The US embassy in Saudi Arabia did nothing for these women - including not allowing them to take refuge in the embassy itself when the husbands became abusive.

Well, it doesn't just happen in Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday morning, ten former IDF combat soldiers rescued an American woman and her two and a half year-old son from an Arab village in the Tulkarm area (in Samaria). The woman and her son had been held in the area by her husband and his family for three years (Hat Tip: Shy Guy).

The man's first wife and four children from the first marriage also live in the house.

The woman's husband allegedly hit her, prevented her from leaving the house and threatened that if she left, she would never see their son again. He also threatened that if she left the home, she would be apprehended by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

After efforts to bring about the woman's release by contacting Palestinian Authority officials failed, the woman's parents contacted a Jewish American man who had served in a combat unit in the IDF. He contacted friends in Israel who planned the rescue operation for several weeks, gathering intelligence on the family's routine, and carrying it out successfully on Monday, according to Army Radio.

The woman and her son were transferred to the US consulate in Jerusalem and left the country on an airliner to Ohio on Tuesday.

Curiously, although this was apparently coordinated with the US consulate (the 'embassy' to the Palestinian Authority), it was not coordinated with the IDF.

Although the family had promised a financial reward, the former soldiers refused to take the money.

You may recall that I blogged a similar story about an Israeli woman who was trapped in Gaza by her husband's family after the husband's death during Operation Cast Lead. She's pictured with three of her kids at the top of this post.

If you know someone who is trapped among the 'Palestinians' in the disputed territories, call the IDF or Yad L'Achim.

UPDATE 3:20 PM

My mistake. The former soldiers are going to be paid for their work. What they were quoted as saying in the Post article was that they didn't do it for the money.

Israel Matzav: And you thought this could only happen in Saudi Arabia