A court inside Yasser Arafat's compound convicted four Palestinians on Thursday for last year's assassination of Israel's tourism minister, a senior aide to the Palestinian leader said. This move did not appear likely to end Israel's siege of Arafat's compound.
In Ramallah, the tribunal sentenced Hamdi Quran to 18 years in prison and his lookout Basel Al-Asmar to 12 years. Getaway driver Majdi Rimawi got an eight-year term, while Ahead Gholmy was jailed for one year for having knowledge of the plot but not informing Palestinian authorities.
Zeevi was shot in a Jerusalem hotel on Oct. 17. On Thursday, the four suspects were sentenced to jail terms after a trial conducted with security officers acting as judges and lawyers, Arafat aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh said from inside the headquarters where the trial took place. He said Arafat approved the sentences.
The appointed judge in the trial was a Palestinian security official with no legal experience, and a policeman in the compound was assigned as defense attorney. Proceedings began Monday.
"The state security courts are operating in contravention of international standards for fair trial, with people being tried and sentenced within hours," said Palestinian human rights activist Bassem Eid. "The biggest violation is that convicted people have no right of appeal."
Israel has said it would not lift the siege at Ramallah until the wanted Palestinians hiding inside Arafat's headquarters, including the suspected assassins of Rehavam Zeevi, were turned over and brought to justice. Soon after the Palestinian announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reiterated those demands and dismissed the decision, AP reported.
"I have to say, it would have been possible to avoid trying them twice, as they will anyway be brought to trial in Israel," Sharon told reporters during a visit to Jerusalem by the Turkish and Greek foreign ministers. "Israel stands by its demand for the extradition of the murderers of minister Zeevi."
Sharon also said Israel continues to demand the extradition of Fouad Shubaki, the key suspect in the arms-smuggling attempt involving a ship carrying 50 tons of weapons, allegedly from Iran, intercepted by Israeli commandoes.
In Bethlehem, meanwhile, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were to meet again Thursday after both sides reported slight progress Wednesday in the second straight day of talks on the standoff at the Church of the Nativity.(Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
