OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– The Israeli court decided during a hearing Wednesday to postpone the trial of Jerusalem MP Mohammed Abu Teir until November 22 2010.
The court gathered at 9:00am Wednesday to prosecute the Palestinian Legislative Council member on charges of “remaining in the city of Jerusalem without an official permit” after the Israeli decision to withdraw his identity card.
MP Ahmed Attoun said in a press statement: “[Israel] persists to pass [laws] to exile us and MP Abu Teir’s trial comes in the framework of pressure practiced against us to force us to execute decisions amid weak official positions among Arabs and no practical action to resolve our problem.”
MP Attoun reiterated that the Palestinian MPs stand firm in not leaving the occupied city of Jerusalem adding that MP Abu Teir prefers remaining in prison to signing for his own exile.
He called on the people of Jerusalem to stand in front of the Israeli Magistrate court to deliver the message to the world that “we are gathered to stand against the decision to exile our representatives in the Holy City.”
Abu Teir’s attorney Osama Sa’di said: “The defense team will be in recognition of the facts contained in the indictment and confirm that international law applies to Jerusalem as it is an occupied city and the Geneva Conventions prohibit deportation.”
He said that this is seventh time within two months that Abu Teir appeared in court after Israel’s decision to withdraw the identity cards of three Jerusalem MPs: Abu Teir Ahmed Attoun and Mohammed Toutah and former Jerusalem minister Abu Arafah.
