Israel arrests founder of 'For the Sake of God' debt waiving initiative in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces arrested Palestinian journalist Alaa al-Rimawi at his home in Ramallah early Thursday, shortly after he launched an initiative seeking to persuade creditors to forgive the debts of Palestinians struggling financially.

Al-Rimawi, founder of the "For the Sake of God" initiative, was taken to an undisclosed location after Israeli forces raided his home in the central occupied West Bank, according to his family.

The Israeli military has not announced the reason for his arrest or disclosed where he is being held.

His arrest comes less than a year after he was released in October 2025 following nearly two years in Israeli administrative detention.

An initiative gains momentum

Al-Rimawi launched the "For the Sake of God" initiative in recent weeks to help Palestinians unable to repay their debts by contacting creditors and asking them to waive the money owed.

The initiative began after a Palestinian teacher approached al-Rimawi because she was unable to settle her debts. He contacted her creditor and persuaded him to waive the debt, al-Rimawi told The New Arab two days ago.

The initiative subsequently spread through social media, with Al-Rimawi taking on additional cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and approaching merchants and creditors to seek debt forgiveness.

Al-Rimawi said that more than US$20 million in debts had been waived through the initiative, involving numerous cases and merchants who agreed to forgo outstanding payments.

The timing of his arrest has prompted questions among Palestinians involved in or following the initiative, although there is no official evidence that it was connected to his detention.

"Frankly, I feel that the initiative did not sit well with Israel, especially after it began gaining traction among people," Abu Ibrahim, a merchant from Nablus, told TNA.

"Al-Rimawi was connecting with merchants and creditors and bringing them together around the idea of helping people in financial difficulty. They may not have liked the emergence of a grassroots initiative of this scale, particularly one led by someone with a significant media presence," he said.

He stressed that the connection remained unconfirmed.

"We cannot say for certain that the initiative is the reason for his arrest because the army has not issued a statement," he added. "But the timing makes people wonder. He had just been released after two years in administrative detention, resumed his activities and launched this initiative, only for his home to be raided and for him to be arrested again."

Awad, 37, an employee from Ramallah, similarly said Al-Rimawi's arrest was difficult to separate from his recent public activities, while acknowledging that the Israeli authorities had not provided an explanation.

"He is a well-known journalist, but in recent weeks people came to know him more closely through the initiative," Awad said.

"He spoke about people burdened by debt and tried to find solutions for them. He reached out to merchants and asked them to waive what was owed. To us, this was a social initiative, not something that warrants arrest," he added.

Awad added that the initiative's growing reach could have drawn attention because al-Rimawi used social media to connect with a wide audience.

"I am not saying this is the definitive reason, because we do not know what the army has included in his file," he said. "But the timing naturally leads people to think about his recent activities."

Previous arrests and detention

Al-Rimawi was previously arrested by Israeli forces in October 2023 and held under administrative detention until his release in October 2025.

Administrative detention allows Israeli authorities to hold Palestinians without charge or trial based on secret evidence. Israel says the measure is used against individuals it considers security threats.

Al-Rimawi was also arrested in April 2021 and issued a three-month administrative detention order. He was released after around six weeks following a hunger strike.

He has worked as a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, managed the J-Media network and maintained a prominent presence on social media.

Hamdan, 55, a shop owner from Ramallah, said the circumstances of the latest arrest had raised questions among residents.

"The question on everyone's mind is: Why now?" he said. "al-Rimawi had been released from prison and could have simply returned to his journalism work, but instead he launched an initiative to help people clear their debts."

"The initiative brought together people from different walks of life, from debtors to merchants who agreed to waive outstanding payments," he added.

Hamdan said he believed the initiative's social impact could have attracted attention, while stressing that there was no confirmation that it was the reason for the arrest.

"I feel this activity was unwelcome to Israel, not because the initiative was political, but because it fostered solidarity among people and gave al-Rimawi a greater presence in the community," he explained.

"This may be one reason his activities were monitored, but we cannot confirm that until the Israeli authorities announce the reason for his arrest," he continued.

"If there is a specific charge, let them announce it," Hamdan added. "But when a man's home is raided at dawn and he is taken to an unknown location without an explanation, people are left to draw their own conclusions."

Raids across the West Bank

Al-Rimawi's arrest came amid a wider Israeli military campaign of raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank on Thursday.

In Qalqilya, Israeli forces arrested at least 23 young men during a raid on the village of Hajja, east of the city, and entered the nearby town of Baqa al-Hatab.

In Nablus, Israeli forces raided the Al-Ain refugee camp and forced residents of one home to leave before reportedly turning the property into a military outpost. Other homes were searched and several residents were detained and subjected to field interrogations.

Israeli forces also closed roads around the camp and restricted vehicle movement. Nearby private schools and kindergartens suspended classes, citing concerns for students' safety.

Raids were also reported in Kafr Qallil, south of Nablus, as well as Silat al-Harithiya, Zababdeh and Ya'bad in Jenin governorate and Allar, Saida and Bal'a in Tulkarm governorate.

In the Ramallah area, Israeli forces entered Birzeit and Kobar and raided a residential building in the Al-Masayef neighbourhood of Al-Bireh.