MP Barghouthi again Refuses to Recognize Israel’s Jurisdiction

25/08/2003


Palestine Media Center – PMC

Israeli prosecutors summed up charges against detained Palestinian MP Marwan Barghouthi on Sunday despite the Palestinian leader rejection to recognize Israel’s jurisdiction over him.

“This is a court of the occupation,” Barghouthi told the court on Sunday. “I am an elected leader of the Palestinians and you cannot judge me.”

Prosecutor Devorah Chen told the court “a defendant cannot be allowed to manipulate the court system in Israel so that it plays into his own court.”

Chen cited Barghouthi's “command culpability” for the attacks as a senior member of Fatah, as well as confessions Israeli interrogators took from 21 of his alleged Brigades accomplices -- all of whom refused to give open testimony.

“It's a lie,” Barghouthi told Chen. “Your stuff is tainted.”

http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=1018

do you something of the history of this man?

what is the prosecutions evidence against him?

In his defense I like he questions the legality of the court of the occupation and that he cites the occupation as terrorism. I would be most interested in reading his closing statement as I found this bothersome: “The real terror is the occupation,” and citing the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab."

Not that I disagree with the former part of his statement, but there are so many other things to cite as an example of terror than the killing of Shanab. He will get nowhere with that in his defense in this court. This killing of Shanab is justified from the perspective of this court. I realize Hamas was a political organization, there are articles suggesting Israel had a hand in financing them in the beginning (more than one article), so I do understand that citing the assassination of this Hamas leader is not out of hand entirely. I just feel there are more common place things outside of the political arena or outside of the arena of militant resistance that might be more effectual than citing the assassination of Ismail Abu Shanab.

I would be interested to hear his closing statement. from what I have read he is a secular man and IS an activist of peace. However, I have not read really very much but a couple of articles, which seemed to suggest he is recognized by the international community and too he is a lawyer and a studied man, if my memory serves me. What is the evidence which backs up these charges that he planned terrorists attacks? Is there any, or was he kidnapped and arrested for political reasons?

http://www.freebarghouti.org/case.html

I don't know all that much about him myself, so I'm going to have a read of what I find...

Violet...

I will have a look at this link.

Shanab was known as a "moderate" that was ultimately in favour of the "two-state" compromise. Israel killing him is symbolic.

As for Barghouti he's one of the few stand-up guys associated with Arafat, but unlike the Arafat/Dahlan/Abbas type he's not willing to relegate himself into the race for being Israel's Warden and thus has to suffer for it.

yes I had come across that regarding shanab and once again find it another example of the Sharon and Mofaz duo foiling peace at every turn. I do not buy the oneside propaganda that has Hamas set up as this terrorist group with all the focus on suicide bombing as if that is all that is going here. To tell you the truth IF secular and learned, and based on the little i have read regarding Barghouti, I found myself thinking that this was exactly the sort of man that would be a more formidible and equal negotiator to Israel and Ariel Sharon.

It seems clear to me Israel does not want an equal negotitor, nor does the US. They want a vassal. While Arafat has the longest reign and has fought in resistance to Israeli expansionism and the occupation over the years, when push came to shove, during Oslo he proved himself buyable. While I was against him being boycotted, he does not necessarily represent to me someone formidable enough to deal with Israel, he being more so a figurehead for the cause and more familar to the people than Abbas.

What little I have read of Barghouti, I almost instanteously felt he had the kind of leadership skills that the Palestinians desperately need now. Too bad the Israeli court does not see it this way. I still will have to see what these charges are and if it seems to me they are backed by substantive evidence.

This whole mess has seemed transparent to me from the time I read Mofaz's Plan. Since that time the direction has not changed, but for the increase in the volume of anti-palestinian propaganda I seem to notice since the Jerusalem bombing. I can not tell you how many people I know of both religions that lump all the Palestinians together as just plain garbage and if you take even a breath in to say otherwise you are insulted and called stupid and I am the stupidest one in town. Of course most I speak to are freepers and they are all on book whether they know it or not. I try not to take the insult to heart, but I am getting pretty tired of not being able to air my views and exchange some of the information I have come in contact with. Not hardly a sentence in I am shut up.