Israel sentences Sheikh Salah to nine months in prison

[ 13/01/2010 - 06:13 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli magistrates court on Wednesday sentenced Sheikh Ra’ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, to nine months  in prison, in addition to a six-month suspended sentence on allegations of leading protests and assaulting an Israeli policeman. Informed sources told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the court also imposed on him fines of about $1,750 as compensation to the policeman, noting that these unjust rulings will be effective after 45 days. For his part, Sheikh Salah, known as Sheikh of Al-Aqsa, said he received the court ruling in high spirits, stressing that this ruling is a small price for the big efforts made by the Islamic Movement in defense of the occupied city of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque. The Islamic Movement leader told Al-Jazeera satellite channel that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) wants to drag the Aqsa Mosque into its courts, and emphasized that the Israeli judicial system is invalid and Israel has no sovereignty over Jerusalem The Islamic leader stressed that this ruling will raise the spirits of the Islamic Movement's cadres and make them more resilient and steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation. He also warned that 2010 will be a fateful year in the history of Jerusalem, as the Israeli occupation will commit more follies against the holy city and Mosque. In another context, Dr. Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, the head of trustees council of Al-Quds international institution, on Wednesday strongly denounced Israel’s ongoing violations against Jerusalem and its people and called on the Arab and Muslim leaders to intervene to save the holy city. “We are responsible for Jerusalem city and we must work on supporting the steadfastness of Jerusalemite citizens and build construction and environmental projects in Jerusalem; we are able to do a lot if we truly believe in this national and religious responsibility,” Dr. Qaradawi underlined. This came during the opening session of the seventh conference of Al-Quds international institution which took place in Beirut under the auspices of Lebanese president Michel Suleiman. Sheikh Raed Salah sentenced to 9 months by Israeli court Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was sentenced on Wednesday to nine months in prison and another six months probation in Jerusalem's Magistrates’ Court, Israeli media reported. Sheikh Salah was accused of spitting on an Israeli officer in 2007 at the Dung Gate, in the Old City, occupied East Jerusalem, and in addition to the sentence, was ordered to pay the officer 7,500 Israeli shekels. "We reject the court's ruling. It doesn't frighten us. We will continue to have the occupation removed from al-Aqsa," the Israeli daily Ynet quoted Sheikh Salah as saying. “This is a hefty sentence in order to make clear to the convicted the gravity of the offences he committed," saidJudge Yitzhak Shimoni wrote in the verdict. Palestinian Israeli Member of Knesset Mohammad Barakeh also visited the court house. "“This is a political trial and a political sentence. I was surprised by the unprecedented punishment that was made through non-legal considerations. "East Jerusalem is occupied territory and does not belong to the State of Israel. The police officer was in a place that does not belong to him, and he has no jurisdiction in that area. There is racism and violation of the freedom of religion and worship. The police raided a place of worship."  Salah's attorney Khaled Azabarga said, "We are not at all please, the court lacks all authority to rule in any matter pertaining to al-Aqsa. The court represents the Israeli occupation, which is illegal according to international treaties as well. "The mosque is an occupied site, and this verdict is null and void. What we said is not the power of the law, but the brutality of the law. We are studying the verdict; we will make an educated decision in consultations with Sheikh Salah."