Israeli court rejects release of longest-serving Palestinian detainee

By Awad al-Rujoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – An Israeli court on Sunday rejected a petition to release Nael al-Barghouthi, the longest-serving Palestinian detainee in Israeli jails, according to a local NGO.

In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said the Ofer Military Court decided to maintain a life sentence against the Palestinian detainee citing a “secret file” against him.

Al-Barghouthi, 65, has been in prison for 43 years.

In 2011, he was released under a prisoner swap deal between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Israel.

In 2014, however, he was rearrested and his sentence reinstated.

His defense lawyer filed a petition with the Israeli High Court four years ago demanding al-Barghouthi’s release based on the terms of the prisoner swap deal which state that Israel cannot re-arrest freed prisoners and re-instate their sentence.

According to Palestinian estimates, 47 freed detainees were rearrested and their sentences reinstated.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar