Israeli Prosecution seeks up to 50-month prison sentence for Sheikh Kamal Khatib

An Israeli court is scheduled to issue its sentencing decision on Monday in the case of Sheikh Kamal Khatib, deputy head of the Islamic Movement, after convicting him of incitement to violence and incitement to terrorism.

According to court proceedings, the convictions relate to two social media posts and a sermon delivered during the May 2021 unrest. The court acquitted Khatib of a separate charge of identifying with a terrorist organisation.

Khatib was arrested in May 2021 after the Israeli government, acting on recommendations from the Shin Bet security agency, said his statements and online posts constituted incitement to violence and terrorism.

The indictment was based on social media posts and a speech concerning Israeli violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque, clashes involving worshippers, police actions against Palestinians, and events related to the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in Jerusalem.

Following legal proceedings that lasted more than five years, the court convicted Khatib on the two incitement charges while acquitting him of the charge of identifying with a terrorist organisation.

The prosecution has requested a prison sentence of 40 to 50 months.

Khatib’s defence team, which includes lawyers from Adalah – The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and the Al-Mezan Centre, argued that the prosecution is seeking to apply sentencing standards adopted after the events of 7th October 2023 to conduct that occurred in 2021.

According to the defence, applying post-2023 sentencing practices to a case involving political speech from 2021 would be inconsistent with the principles of legality and criminal justice.

The court’s sentencing decision is expected on Monday.