Top PLO official: Israeli sentence given to parliamentary speaker 'illegal'

The head of the Palestinian National Council, Salim Al-Za’noun, has condemned the Israeli jail sentence given to Dr Aziz Dweik, the head of the Palestinian parliament.

In a statement reported by Safar news agency on Wednesday, Al-Za’noun said: “The verdict is illegal and it opposes the rules of international law and is considered a flagrant violation of the resolutions of the EU International Parliament.”

Al-Za’noun called for all parliament groups and syndications in the EU and the whole world to put pressure on Israel to release Dweik, who was elected by the Palestinians, in order to return to his office.

He also called for Israel to release all other Palestinian MPs inside its jails, including Marwan Al-Barghouti, Ahmed Sa’adat and Khalida Jarrar.

An Israeli military court sentenced Dweik to 12 months in prison and to pay fine of $1,500.

Safa said there are currently 12 Palestinian MPs inside Israeli jails, most of them belonging to Hamas.