Amid the ongoing phenomenon of terrorists sending incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel, an importer/exporter from Rishon Lezion was accused of sending a shipment of balloons to the Hamas-controlled enclave, Mako reported on Thursday.The 50-year-old married father of four maintains his innocence, the man's attorney Yifat Ben-Avi Braun told Mako on Thursday. She added her client is a family man and served in the IDF Golani unit."It's purely hypothetical," she said, that his balloons would end up in the hands of terrorists to be used against Israel. She added his import company is completely legitimate.
The businessman had send the shipment of balloons, which happen to be in the colors of the Palestinian Authority flag, to Hebron, arousing suspicion. Toys were also part of the shipment.
Yesterday, incendiary balloons launched from Gaza blew into Israel causing 11 fires, the latest such incident. Gaza was under Israeli jurisdiction until the 2005 Disengagement.
Hebron, which is 80% under Palestinian Authority control, is a major business hub and has done brisk import and export with Israel for years.