Palestinian court sentences persons accused of killing Zeifi
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 4/26/2002

A Palestinian court on Thursday in Ramullah sentenced with imprisonment and hard labor four Palestinians under the accusations of killing the Israeli minister of tourism Rahbaam Zeifi.

The Israeli radio said that the court which was chaired by Maj. Gen. Ribhi Arafat, the military liaison official sentenced each of Hamdi Qaraan for 18 years with hard labor, Basel al-Asmar for 12 year imprisonment with hard labor, the chairman of the military department of the people's front for the liberation of Palestine A'ed Abu Ghleida of one imprisonment with hard labor.

The People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine announced rejection of this trial and stressed it will call for canceling it. Ali Qatawi, one of the leader of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine said that the principle of the trial is not correct and those are "militant nationalists."

Al-Qatawi said that the trial which was held on Thursday was a subjugation to the Israeli threats.

Meantime, the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon renewed his demands of the Palestinian authority to hand over the Palestinians who are accused by Israel to killing Zeifi, besides the official in charge of financial affairs in the Palestinian authority Fouad al-Shoubaki.

In a statement quoted by the Israeli radio on Thursday Sharon called for trying the wanted Palestinians before the Israeli judiciary refusing their trial before a Palestinian court.

In Washington, a high ranking American official said that this trial seems a positive matter but it does not solve the issue pertinent to Israel's besiege of the Palestinian authority headquarters in Ramullah. AFP quoted the American official who asked not to be identified as saying that the Palestinians seem to have taken positive initiatives and measures.

Previous Stories:
  UN fact-finding mission to arrive in Middle East on Saturday   (4/25/2002)
  UNSC can try Israeli generals for war crimes   (4/25/2002)
  European MPs: Israel committed massacre in Jenin   (4/25/2002)

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