Fatah leader, Marwan Barghouti's trial resumed Thursday at the Tel Aviv district court.
Two hearings were held, one debating Israel's jurisdiction to try him and the other the prosecutor's request to extend Barghouti's remand until the end of proceedings against him.
The Israeli prosecutor argued before a panel of three judges that under the Interim Agreements signed both by the Palestinan Authority and Israel, Israel reserves the right to "defend its security using special operations to stop terror," should the PA fail to do so. Furthermore, she maintained that Barghouti's immunity as a Palestinian Legislative Council member only protects him from Palestinian law.
She countered Barghouti's claim that Israel illegally kidnapped him from an autonomously ruled area and exiled him into Israel.
Barghouti refused the aid of a court appointed attorney who was summarily dismissed. "I do not recognize this court, this is a political court," said Barghouti in Hebrew. "This court is a joke. This court represents Israel's occupation, which has committed crimes against the Palestinian people," he conveyed.
He also accused the Israeli judge of prejudging him. In a September hearing, after Barghouti called himself a freedom fighter, the judge snapped "you are nothing but a terrorist."
At this point, Barghouti burst out, "the terror is the occupation - these are not terror groups you are talking about but freedom fighters."
According to JPost, in the hearing over the court's right to extend Barghouti's remand until the end of proceedings, which his own lawyers expect to last years, the defendant's lead attorney Jawad Boulus in the remand hearing, called Israel's kidnapping and 8-month detention of the alleged terrorist, "nothing short of transfer." Israel thus violated not only its agreements with the Palestinians but Barghouti's human rights under the Geneva Accords.
As soon as the hearing began, Barghouti was led into the courtroom and said: "The intifada will defeat the occupation." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
