'Human shield' Israeli jailed

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

An Israeli woman has been jailed for three years for acting as a human shield to protect a wanted Palestinian activist in the West Bank.

"In the unusual case, Tali Fahima, was convicted last month in a plea bargain to avoid a life sentence on initial charges of aiding the enemy in wartime and supporting a terrorist group.

Under the deal, Fahima pleaded guilty to charges of contact with a foreign agent, informing the enemy and disobeying an order. The court in Tel Aviv confirmed a three-year sentence on Thursday.
Fahima is expected to be released in another 10 months, since she has been under arrest for more than a year.

Fahima moved to Jenin in the West Bank at the height of a five-year-old Palestinian uprising and befriended Zakaria al-Zubaidi, leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the ruling Fatah party.

Fahima, a frequent guest at al-Zubaidi's home in Jenin, told reporters that she was staying close to the leader to protect him from Israeli assassination."

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[GatoLover]

1. She plea bargained and got off lightly

Among other things:

"Prosecutors said she translated for Palestinian gunmen a secret military document which they obtained that outlined Israeli army plans to detain or kill militants ."

Now, I realize that the Israelis have no business defending themselves from the militants, oops, I mean murderers, but they sure can prosecute their own treasonous citizens.

[Englander]

2. Israel jails Jewish woman for meeting Palestinian militant

· Three-year sentence for assisting terrorist group
· Legal secretary wanted to 'understand Palestinians'

Conal Urquhart in Tel Aviv
Friday December 23, 2005
The Guardian

An Israeli woman was jailed for three years yesterday after pleading guilty to meeting one of the most wanted Palestinian militants and spending time in the West Bank town of Jenin.

After a unusual prosecution Tali Fahima accepted a plea bargain deal from prosecutors and is expected to serve about 10 months in prison because she has already been in custody for more than a year. Fahima, 29, was arrested last year after repeated visits to Jenin refugee camp to meet Zakaria Zubeidi, the leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade responsible for suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis. She was charged with offences including providing information to the enemy and assisting a terrorist organisation, which carry the death penalty. The prosecution said it would seek a life sentence. Shaul Mofaz, the defence minister, who signed the detention order, said Fahima "took part in planning a terrorist attack in Israel".

Following her arrest Fahima was vilified as a traitor and the security services leaked claims to Israeli newspapers alleging that she was Mr Zubeidi's lover, prompting stories calling her "the terrorist's whore". But by the time the case came to trial last month, the government had retreated from some the most serious accusations, such as assisting with bombings.

Fahima's lawyer, Smadar Ben-Natan, said her client agreed to confess to charges of revealing information to the enemy, contact with a foreign agent and a ban on Israeli civilians entering Palestinian towns, in order to get out of prison.

Fahima, a legal secretary who voted for Ariel Sharon's Likud party in the last election, began to question the established Israeli view of the conflict three years ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1673243,00.html