Arab Israeli sentenced after fighting with IS in Iraq

A northern Israeli court sentenced an Arab Israeli citizen to three and a half years in prison on Wednesday for joining the Islamic State (IS) and fighting along its lines in Iraq, according to the Israeli Court Authority Spokesperson.

The Nazareth District Court sentenced Maharan Haladi, a 20-year-old citizen of the city on Wednesday, after he was recently found guilty of charges of contact with a foreign agent, membership and activity in an illegal organization, forbidden military training and illegally exiting the country.

According to the indictment, Haladi headed to Syria via Turkey last year, after he was influenced by online videos of the group. A member of the organization instructed him how to reach them, after the two made contact through Facebook.

He then joined the organization's training sessions in Syria and eventually took part in battles in Iraq, near the city of Fallujah.

After Haladi was injured in one of the battles he returned to Israel, where he was apprehended by the Israeli Shin Bet security agency.

He confessed to the charges against him during the agency's investigations, court protocols showed.

Dozens of Arab Israelis were arrested and underwent legal proceedings in the past year under suspicion they had gone to Syria or planned to do so in order to join the IS.

Israel outlawed any affiliation with the militant Islamic group last year.

Arab Israelis are Palestinians who stayed in Israel after its foundation in 1948 and became citizens, making up 20 percent of Israel's population. Endit