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Israel-Arab lawmaker sentenced to jail for smuggling cellphones to Palestinian prisoners

Xinhua, April 9, 2017 Adjust font size:

An Israeli court on Sunday sentenced Israeli-Arab lawmaker Basel Ghattas to two years in jail, after Ghattas pleaded guilty in smuggling mobile phone to Palestinian prisoners.

The Beersheba Magistrate's Court accepted a deal reached between Ghattas and the State Attorney's Office, in which he was convicted of delivering means that could be used to carry out an act of terror. He was also convicted of fraud and breach of trust.

According to the court's rule, in December 2016, Ghattas smuggled into the Ktzi'ot Prison in the Negev Desert a dozen of mobile phones, 16 SIM cards, two charges, and an earphone. He delivered the gear to Walid Daka, who serves a 31-year sentence for killing an Israel Defense Forces soldier.

Ghattas is expected to begin serving his sentence on July 2, the court said.

In December, the Knesset (parliament) revoked his parliamentary immunity, allowing his indictment.

He later was forced to resign from the Knesset.

Ghattas was a legislator with Balad, an Arab nationalist party that frequently challenges the Israeli establishment over Palestinian issues.

Israel's Arab minority constitutes around a fifth of the population. Endit