Israel sentences Islamic Jihad member to 22 months in prison
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Loading... - Lily Pickford
- 23 Feb 2023
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Islamic Jihad militant member's arrest sparked 3 days of fighting in Gaza last year
The Israeli military said Tuesday it has sentenced a member of the Islamic Jihad militant group to 22 months in prison after his arrest helped spark three days of heavy fighting in Gaza last year.
Bassam al-Saadi's sentence was handed down as part of a plea deal that included suspending an additional sentence and ordering al-Saadi to pay compensation, the army said in a statement. Al-Saadi he had been convicted for illegal association, incitement and impersonation.
The statement said al-Saadi, 62 at the time of his arrest, worked with other suspects to advance the group's activities "within its student wing" by receiving funding from an Islamic Jihad operative in Gaza. He was arrested in August during a nighttime raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
Palestinians frequently agree to plea deals in Israel, where, critics say, the courts often rely on secret evidence presented by security officials.
Islamic Jihad had demanded al-Saadi's release. The group is sponsored by Iran and has carried out scores of deadly attacks over the years targeting Israeli civilians. It operates in both the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Read More…
