Dr. Alan Gordon, a 71-year-old Cedar Grove psychiatrist affiliated with Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, was detained for seven hours by Israeli authorities on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Gordon was among roughly 90 Americans, Israelis and Palestinians held by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to The Jerusalem Post, while helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives near the village of Nahalin, outside Bethlehem, as reported by NJ.com. The group included New York City congressional candidate Brad Lander, rabbis and other volunteers participating in an annual olive harvest.
Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-11th Dist.) said her office contacted the U.S. Department of State after learning Gordon had been taken into custody. Gordon was released later that day.
"I am relieved that Mr. Gordon and his fellow advocates have been released," Mejia said in a statement. "Upon learning of his detention, my office immediately contacted the U.S. Department of State to advocate for his release."
The State Department told Mejia's office it was "tracking the situation" and had shared Gordon's information with Embassy Jerusalem, according to NJ.com.
The IDF said the group had been harvesting near the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit without prior coordination, NJ.com reported, citing a New York Times account of an Israeli military statement. The New Jersey Globe reported that the Israeli military said harvesting there requires advance approval "to ensure the security of the area and maintain public order."
Mejia criticized the detentions, saying the real problem was settler violence against Palestinian communities. She blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for emboldening settlers and expanding settlements.
The Israeli organization Rabbis for Human Rights said volunteers had spent about two hours harvesting when Israeli army, police and Border Police arrived and declared a closed military zone, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. The group agreed to leave, but authorities still detained participants, demanded identification and separated foreign nationals from Israelis, according to the organization.
NJ.com reported that Gordon could not be reached for comment. His answering service said he would be unavailable until Monday, Oct. 26. A Cooperman Barnabas spokesperson said the medical center was unaware of the situation and declined to comment.
Gordon is at least the second constituent of Mejia's detained by Israeli authorities since May, when a Nutley man was taken into custody while participating in a Gaza-bound flotilla, NJ.com reported.
