Last month, police arrested five residents of Tuba-Zanghariya in the North on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of soldier Guy Hever, who has been missing for 29 years since leaving his base in the Golan Heights.
The police received new information, according to which there was suspicion that some of the detainees were involved or had knowledge of details related to his disappearance. The arrests were made about three weeks ago, after which the Nazareth Magistrate's Court ordered a blanket gag order regarding the investigation.
After several extensions of detention, the suspects were released last week after the investigation reached a dead end and insufficient evidence was found to continue their detention. For about 10 days, the detainees were unable to meet with their lawyers.
Guy Hever, a soldier in the Artillery Corps, disappeared in August 1997 from the "Zivan" base in the Golan Heights. His disappearance led to the launch of a large-scale search operation by security forces and volunteers, but all efforts failed to yield findings that could explain the circumstances of his disappearance.
Over the years, various reports have been published, including claims that Hever is being held in a prison in Syria, but these have never been verified. The affair of Hever's disappearance is considered one of the greatest mysteries in the history of the Israeli security system, and the investigation is reopened from time to time, but so far his fate remains unknown.
IDF renewed searches for Hever in early 2023
In early 2023, the IDF reported that searches were being conducted in the Golan Heights to locate findings regarding Hever’s disappearance, but no relevant findings were found.
"Over the years, various operations have been and are being carried out to locate the missing IDF soldier, Guy Hever, including in recent times," the IDF said. "The IDF has informed the family of the current activity and will continue to accompany them."
About a decade ago, a German citizen arrested in Syria a few years earlier claimed to have new information about Hever's fate.
Miriam Koenika, a Jewish researcher, has visited several countries around the world in recent years, and on one of her trips, she arrived in Syria. While touring the country, she was arrested by local security forces and transferred to a two-week interrogation in a prison in Damascus.
According to her, one day a young interpreter was brought into the cell, who, she claimed, bore a strong resemblance to the missing soldier.