THE Pendle Palestine Twinning group is calling on the Government to end its support for Israel over the Gaza conflict.

The move comes after a 30-year-old man from Pendle’s twin town of Beit Leed suffered a mental breakdown after being held by the Israeli intelligence services for 28 days.

Muath Dureidi, a computer engineer, was detained by the Israelis at the Allenby Bridge crossing when he re-entered the West Bank having travelled abroad.

Even though the Allenby Bridge marks the border between Jordan and Palestine, it is controlled by the Israelis as part of their military occupation of the West Bank.

Richard MacSween, chair of the Pendle group, said that Muath was held in isolation and neither lawyers nor family members were allowed to visit him, and when he was eventually released on August 14, without any charge or reason being given, he was completely mute.

Mr MacSween said: “This case shows the impact of the Israeli occupation on the daily lives of Palestinians. An innocent man is arbitrarily imprisoned by a foreign power, without any reason or access to legal help, until he suffers a breakdown.

“If a British person, returning to the UK, were imprisoned for twenty-eight days by, say, the Americans, there would be an uproar.

“The occupation must end, and to make that happen, the UK government must stop its unquestioning support for Israel.”