Israeli mil. court rules to hold Palestinian lawmakers until after trial
SHOTLIST
1. Pan across exterior of camp, where court is based
2.
Various of arrested Hamas lawmakers in court
3.
Lawyers and Hamas lawmakers speaking
4.
Abdel Aziz Duwaik, member of Hamas and Speaker of the
Palestinian Legislative Council in court
5. Various of lawyers and Hamas lawmakers in court
6. Various of relatives of arrested Hamas lawmakers waiting outside court fence
7.
Palestinian woman asking an
Israeli soldier to enter court
8. SOUNDBITE: (
English) Taleb a-Sana, lawyer defending Hamas lawmakers:
"
The decision of the court to continue the arrest of the Palestinian parliament and ministers and I think that's a political decision.
It's also a charge that uses a political reason to support this and to explain. This decision, I think that really the criminal here is the occupation and not the Palestinian representative."
9.
Israeli prosecution talking to journalists
10. SOUNDBITE: (English)
Major Morris Hirsch,
Deputy Prosecutor of the
Judea and Samaria Regions:
"The court's decision was basically that the state of
Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist organisations whether those organisation be elected members of governments or of parliaments because at the end of the day terror is the same all over the world and terror will not be allowed to continue even if it tries to
... as the court put it, a lamb in a wolves clothing, no way will that be permitted."
11. Wide of Hirsch
STORYLINE:
An
Israeli military court at the
Ofer Base in the
West Bank decided on Monday to hold 21 Palestinian lawmakers from the ruling Hamas party in prison until their trial is over.
Israel arrested the legislators, including three
Cabinet ministers from the democratically-elected government, after Hamas-allied militants tunnelled into Israel from
Gaza on June 25 to attack an army post, killing two soldiers and capturing a third.
Palestinian groups say that attack was in response to several deadly Israeli missile attacks on civilians in Gaza in the preceding two weeks.
They have been charged with membership and activity in an outlawed organisation, which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
One Hamas lawyer said after the ruling, "I think that really the criminal here is the occupation and not the Palestinian representative."
Earlier this month, the court ordered the lawmakers freed on bail, noting that the men were permitted to compete in January parliamentary elections and serve in the
Palestinian government for months before being arrested.
But the military prosecutor's office appealed that ruling, and on Monday, the court reversed itself, saying the prosecution had evidence to support its claims that the legislators belonged to an outlawed organisation (in Israel).
Deputy Prosecutor, Major Morris Hirsch said, "the court's decision was basically that the state of Israel has a right to defend itself against terrorist organisations whether those organisation be elected members of governments or of parliaments because at the end of the day terror is the same all over the world."
There has been speculation that the lawmakers would be released in any prisoner swap deal to free the soldier, but
Israeli officials have said the sides are not close to finalising a deal.
You can license this story through AP
Archive:
http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/2a0e6ff17e47a3b3bdc1cea575d54b9c
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork