Israeli High Court Rejects Appeal Against Deporting Jerusalem Legislators

Monday June 21, 2010 07:18

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli High Court rejected an appeal, on Sunday, against deportation orders targeting three Palestinian legislators and a former minister from Jerusalem.

Legislator Ahmad Attoun

Ahmad Attoun, a Palestinian Legislator affiliated with Hamas, told Reuters that the court denied the appeal and decided that the officials must be deported out of Jerusalem.

He added that this decision is considered an approval of a decision made by the Israeli Police to deport him and the other officials; Mohammad Totah, Mohammad Abu Teir, and former minister Khalid Abu Arafa.

The officials were ordered to leave their city by July 2nd. Attoun said that they will not adhere to the Israeli decision.

The court’s decision came hastily as the officials received their deportation orders nearly three weeks ago. The orders instruct them to leave the city within a month.

It is worth mentioning that four years ago, the then Israeli Interior Minister demanded the elected officials leave Jerusalem or resign from the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The Minister threatened that the elected officials will lose their residency rights in Jerusalem.

Also on Sunday, Israel released Legislator Nayef Rajoub after a 52-month imprisonment.

Rajoub was kidnapped by the army in June of 2006 along with some 40 elected legislators and ministers. He was the Minister of Waqf “Endowment” for the Palestinian government.

It is worth mentioning that eleven elected legislators are still imprisoned by Israel in direct violation of international law.