Israeli Occupation Court Sentences Palestinian Prisoner to 20 Life Terms, Minister of Detainees Warns of Ceasefire Collapse

GAZA, April 13, 2005 (IPC + Agencies) - - 

An Israeli occupation military court sentenced a civilian yesterday from a refugee camp in Bethlehem to 20 life terms in prison, while the Minister of Detainees and Ex-Prisoners Affairs warned of a collapse to the current ceasefire if Israel refrained from releasing the rest of the prisoners.

Sources at the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Prisoners Affairs asserted that the Israeli military court in Etzion detention center near Bethlehem has sentenced Khalil Baraqaa, from Ayda refugee camp in Bethlehem, to 20 life terms.

The sources added that the military court extended also the administrative detention of Raed Qaderi, 35, from Tubas, for three more months; the tenth consecutive extension against him.

Qaderi is considered the oldest administrative detainee in Israeli prisons, as he was arrested in June 2001 and spent more than 45 months in the Negev desert detention camp.

Administrative detention is prohibited by international law, as the prisoner is detained without charges or trial for three or six months that can be renewed. More than 1000 Palestinian administrative detainees are imprisoned within the various Israeli jails and detention camps.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Detainees and Ex-Prisoners Affairs, Sofyan Abu Zaydeh, said yesterday that the continuous and daily Israeli arrest campaign in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as the Israeli abstention from releasing Palestinian prisoners might jeopardize the ceasefire between both sides.

"The Israeli occupation measures, especially the arrest of Palestinian civilians, endanger the ceasefire," Abu Zaydeh said.

He also added that the arrests taking place in Nablus and Ramallah cities are not good indicators, considering that the Israeli side should realize the dangers of such campaigns and the repercussions of postponing the redeployment of Palestinian cities according to the understandings of Sharm Al Sheikh summit.

Palestinian officials confirmed that the number of Palestinian prisoners is constantly rising everyday, as Hamas movement's spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that the movement "remains committed to the ceasefire reached in Cairo last month for one year," pointing out that "the period of calm agreed is still valid, but any Israeli aggression will be met by a Palestinian retaliation."

Abu Zuhri called on the Israeli government to honor the agreement signed with the Palestinian Authority at Sharm Al Sheikh, especially the one about releasing 400 prisoners from Israeli jails, adding that Israel continues to delay releasing a second group of prisoners, reminding that the agreement was to release 900 prisoners, not 500.