ISRAEL HANDS DOWN 8 MONTH SUSPENDED SENTENCE TO HANIYEH’S SISTERS

Gaza,19 Rabi’ul Awwal 1436/10 January 2015 (MINA) – Two sisters of the Vice President of the political bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh were given eight-month suspended sentences on charges of entering Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, an Israeli court ruled yesterday.

Israeli public radio said that the “Be’er Sheva Magistrates Court, in the city of Beersheba, southern Israel, gave both Sabah Haniyeh and Leila Abu Rakik a suspended sentence of eight months after they were convicted of illegally entering the Gaza Strip.”

“The court also handed down a fine of 20,000 shekel ($5,100) each.” Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Saturday.

The station pointed out that “those convicted are two Israeli citizens who had illegally entered the Gaza Strip in 2012 through Egypt, after the Israeli authorities refused to grant them a permit to enter the Strip.”

It did not indicate whether the judgment was issued against the defendants in absentia or if they were present for the trial.

Haniyeh’s sisters obtained Israeli citizenship after marrying two Arab Israelis.

Israeli authorities forbid their citizens from entering Gaza.

The court’s decision may be appealed at the Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in the country. (T/P002)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)