The Israeli Ofer military court re-imposed the old sentence of life imprisonment and 18 years against prisoner Nael al-Barghouthi who was released in the Wafaa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society on Wednesday.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) re-arrested Barghouthi in a revenge campaign in 2014 that was launched in response to kidnapping and killing three settlers in al-Khalil city. The campaign resulted in arresting more than 60 ex-prisoners who were released in the Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal in 2011.
Barghouthi was sentenced to 33 months yet after the end of his new sentence the Israeli court re-imposed the old sentence following an appeal filed against him.
For his part Qaddoura Fares the head of the Palestinian Prisoner Society said that the Israeli court committed a new disgraceful act by re-enforcing the old sentence on Barghouthi especially after the ruling which was issued yesterday sentencing the Israeli soldier who deliberately murdered the Palestinian young man Abdel Fattah al-Sharif to 18 months only.
Fares pointed out that the Israeli courts proved once more that they are only tools in the hands of the Israeli political and military institutions to repress the Palestinian people and whitewash the real criminals.
He called on all international organizations to condemn this ruling compel Israel to respect the international agreements especially prisoners’ agreements and work to secure the release of Nael al-Barghouthi and other prisoners who were re-arrested by the IOF after being released in the Wafa al-Ahrar deal.
