US congressional candidate Brad Lander arrested by Israeli army in occupied West Bank

US congressional candidate Brad Lander was arrested by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to reports. The arrest occurred after Lander allegedly helped Palestinians harvest olives in the territory. Lander was released from Israeli military custody with a warning, stating that his public profile may have contributed to his detention.

However, several dozen rabbis and other individuals harvesting olives with him remain in detention. Lander called for their immediate release, criticizing the Israeli military's actions as part of an "escalating, very clearly state-sponsored ethnic cleansing." Lander is the Democratic Party nominee for New York's 10th congressional district and identifies as a liberal Zionist Jew, but he is also a vocal critic of the Israeli government.