Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 16, 2007 , | | Israel Time: 10:41 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Print Edition Diplomacy Defense Arts & Leisure Real Estate Jewish World National Advertising Magazine Week's End Business Opinion Rosner's Domain Anglo File Books Travel

German-Israeli citizen Daniel Sharon. del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 11:36 14/10/2007 Israeli tourist held in Lebanon jail recounts two-week ordeal By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent "Danny al-Alamani" (Danny the German) was the nickname that Daniel Sharon was given during his brief incarceration in Lebanon. To him, the nickname reflected the German patronage that aided in his release after 22 days in detention. Sharon, who holds dual Israeli and German citizenship, was arrested on September 18 on suspicion of involvement in a murder case and released last Thursday. Early Friday morning he was returned to Frankfurt, and by Saturday afternoon he was already on his way to Turkey. In a telephone conversation with Haaretz, Sharon chose to speak the Arabic of the Gulf states, in which he is fluent. Although the interview focused on his well-publicized arrest and release, Sharon often veered from the main topic to describe the beauty of Lebanon and his love for its people. His favorite subject, though, is the wild nightlife of Beirut. "I have to mention this pub, Sky Bar. As someone who's been to almost every place in the whole world I can say that there is nothing like this amazing place anywhere," Sharon said. Advertisement Sharon, whose German-born mother now lives in Australia, says that he was raised in Germany in a wealthy milieu. Many of his friends were from the Gulf states, mainly the United Arab Emirates, and through them he became acquainted with and fell in love with Arab culture. In recent years he lived in the emirate of Ajman and worked for a Dubai real estate company. Sharon's love affair with Lebanon began in 1996, when he visited it for the first time. He stayed in Beirut for a week. "I entered as a tourist, on a German passport, and didn't have any problems." He returned in 2005, arranging to meet a friend of Lebanese origin in Beirut. "I came from Dubai and she came from Australia, and we were there a few days," Sharon said. He tells the story of his arrest with great emotion: "I arrived at the airport, where a Lebanese friend, a Shi'ite Muslim who works for the state general security service was waiting for me." While the two were dining in a restaurant, the friend received a phone call from which he learned that someone had been murdered in his apartment building. "A few hours later he asked me to come to the police station so I could prove I was with him at the time of the murder, in effect to serve as his alibi," Sharon explained quickly. When he went to the neighborhood where the police station was located, Sharon began to be suspicious. "I sensed that I had entered a Shi'ite area, and the proof was in the Hezbollah flags and the slogans everywhere in praise of the organization." When he disclosed that he held Israeli citizenship at the station, he was immediately arrested and handed over to the Lebanese Defense Ministry. "It was a scary place, they transported me with my eyes covered and I felt as if I was being put underground. The questioning focused on my connections with the Mossad and why I had come to Lebanon. There wasn't any torture, just curses, but in the background I could hear the shouts of other detainees," Sharon said. He was accused of bringing pornographic material into the country and of conducting an illicit relationship with the murder victim. "I denied it strenuously and made it clear that I didn't know the man." Sharon vehemently rejected published allegations according to which he is homosexual and was in Lebanon to visit a boyfriend. After being held for five days, he was visited by a representative from the German embassy. "I was relieved, my fear the whole time was that I'd be handed over to Hezbollah." The next day, I was transferred to a different military installation for 10 days, and interrogated daily. "I tried explaining that I had no connection to Israeli intelligence, that I didn't serve in the army and that I opposed Israeli policy." After 16 days, Sharon felt that he would be set free shortly. "I sensed they were persuaded that I had no connection to Israeli intelligence or to Jordanian intelligence, as some of the interrogators tried to see, but it didn't really reassure me." At that stage he was brought to Qasar al-Adal, the Palace of Justice, where he was brought before a judge for the first time. "The judge asked me all sorts of irrelevant questions and I felt they were convinced I wasn't connected to anything." Sharon described the atmosphere in his jail cell, where he remained for four more days, as fairly easy. The other prisoners "even shared their food and drink with me," Sharon said, and one can almost hear him smile. His final two days of imprisonment were in the general security services facility, where his papers were processed. "On Thursday night I was already at the airport, and I feel that I wasn't deported, I left like anyone else. The only difference was that a police officer escorted me to the plane," Sharon said. "There's no doubt that this was a strange experience for me and I'm glad that it's over." Despite his love for the country, Sharon admits that he will not go back to Lebanon, or to any other Arab country, in the near future. He does hope to return at some point: "My love for this country can't be taken away, I am pained by what happened last year, how they destroyed the country in the war," Sharon says Bookmark to del.icio.us Part of Jerusalem? PM Olmert questions whether Arab neighborhoods should be defined as part of the capital. Who is a Jew? Israel's draft constitution states that 'every Jew is entitled to immigrate to Israel.'   1.   Jews in Arab lands. 08:57  |  S 14/10/07   2.   ALTHOUGH HOMOSEXUAL, THE GUY SEEMS 09:51  |  indrajaya 14/10/07   3.   They should have passed him to Hezbollah 10:54  |  Haifa Gal 14/10/07   4.   Sharon 13:35  |  Hilda 14/10/07   5.   Indrajaya`s secret tendencies... 14:13  |  Eric 14/10/07   6.   What does he deserve? 14:24  |  hanoi 14/10/07   7.   Sounds like he is not much of an Israeli, more an arab German 14:30  |  Aaron 14/10/07   8.   To Eric 15:54  |  Mark B. 14/10/07   9.   HE WASN`T A TOURIST: HE IS A MOSSAD AGENT 16:39  |  TrippleJump 14/10/07   10.   appreciating another country makes u less of an isreali??how lame 18:29  |  lisa 14/10/07   11.   He may be Jewish with Lebanese roots 19:59  |  Maurice from Lebanon 14/10/07   12.   Maurice 20:55  |  sweis Melbourne 14/10/07   13.   MAURICE FROM BEIRUT, I LOVE YOU 22:52  |  Rifka 14/10/07   14.   Thank your for your enthusiasm !! 23:51  |  Maurice from Lebanon 14/10/07   15.   Leave this guy alone.... 12:43  |  Meir Moses 15/10/07   16.   The real issue here 14:42  |  The Trix Rabbit 15/10/07   17.   Racism: Not just one sided 17:10  |  Maria 15/10/07   18.   Maurice 18:00  |  Julie 15/10/07   19.   lebanon and Isreal 10:30  |  Faisal 16/10/07

Today Online Editorial: Hail Rice for paving the way for dividing the land Responses: 3 Daniel Ben Simon: Once-moderate Shas moves to extreme right Send response Polish rightist party slammed for anti-Semitic campaign ad Responses: 13 Likud urges Shas, Lieberman to quit gov't over PM's J'lem hints Responses: 9 Haaretz.com TV: Despite lobby's power, U.S. Jews are losing their bond to Israel Responses: 90 Rosner's Domain * Rice "understand risks to announcing a meeting" (WTR) * Guest: How to stop Hamas from spoiling Annapolis? * McCain is the pro-peace process GOP candidate * Poll: Is Rice's effort brave, pathetic, realistic, dangerous? More Headlines 10:24 Report: Swap gives Israel papers with Arad's writing 10:35 Two Palestinians, including one militant, killed in IDF Nablus raid 06:35 ANALYSIS: Israel, Hezbollah need no trust building measures 06:53 Likud urges Shas, Lieberman to quit gov't over PM's 'intention' 07:01 Cartoon spat prompts Shas to quit Knesset religious lobby 06:43 Abductees' families cautiously optimistic over Hezbollah deal 03:56 Balad activist murdered on doorstep of his business in Lod 05:32 Justice Minister orders drafting of bill limiting length of criminal probes 06:15 Medical students prefer not to intern in Israel's periphery 23:17 Polish right-wing party accused of running anti-Semitic campaign ad Previous Editions Select Day 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 05 oct 04 oct 03 oct 02 oct

Special Offers Advertisement learn Hebrew online with israel's best teachers. Sign up for a trial lesson today Invest in Macedonia New Business Heaven in Europe Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations JOIN FREE AT JDATE.COM The most popular online Jewish dating community in the world! Explore the possibilities! Click Here! Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! Israeli History Documentaries. Own a piece of Israel?s treasured past. Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt. Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza Israel Lowest internet rate Guaranteed at ichotelsgroup.com !

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved