Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit on Tuesday has ordered a review of the procedures that led to the interrogation of prominent American Jewish commentator Peter Beinart at Ben-Gurion International Airport earlier this week.
Beinart, a vocal critic of the Israeli government, said Monday that he was detained at the airport and interrogated for an hour about his political views before being allowed to enter Israel. Beinart said officials provided no explanation for his detention.
The Shin Bet security agency apologized for causing Beinart any anguish, saying his detention was the result of "an error in judgement."
Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman has ordered a review of the incident.
The Prime Minister's Office said that upon learning of Beinart's detention, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately asked Israeli security officials what had happened and was told it was an "administrative mistake."
"Israel is an open society which welcomes all, critics and supporters alike," the PM's Office said. "Israel is the only country in the Middle East where people voice their opinions freely and robustly."
Beinart said he would not immediately accept Netanyahu's apology.
"Benjamin Netanyahu has half-apologized for my detention at Ben Gurion Airport," he tweeted. "I'll accept when he apologizes to all the Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans who every day endure far worse."
Recounting the experience in a column in The Forward newspaper, Beinart wrote, "My detention is one more, not particularly significant, example of how Trump has emboldened Netanyahu. An Israeli government led by men who respect neither liberal democracy nor the rule of law now knows it has kindred spirits in Washington."
Also on Tuesday, a prominent American author and former CNN program host said that he, too, was detained by Israel at a border crossing on a recent visit.
Iranian-born Reza Aslan tweeted that he was held for hours, questioned about his politics and told to write down the names of Palestinians and journalists he knew and Palestinian organizations he supported.
He said the woman who interrogated him threatened to separate him from his family.
"I was floored," he tweeted. "This was my fourth trip to Israel in 10 years and every time it's gotten worse. It's becoming unrecognizable as a democracy. It is becoming a full-blown police state."
The Shin Bet did not comment on Aslan's claims.
