Zionist court convicts Sheikh Salah and Dr. Aghbarya

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — A Zionist magistrate’s court in Jerusalem, convicted on Thursday Sheikh Raed Salah and Dr. Sulaiman Aghbarya in relation to the events of Bab al-Magharaba protests back in 2007.

Salah and Aghbaria are leading Islamic figures in 1948 occupied areas and spearheaded protests against the demolition by the Israeli occupation of the road leading to the Bab al-Magharb gate of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The judge decided to convict Sheikh Salah on two counts; assaulting a policeman and participating in riots and convicted Dr. Sulaiman on the charge of participating in riots. They will be sentenced on 24 December 2009.

“I went to the court because I had to under Zionist repressive policies, but was not expecting to be found innocent by the Zionist court, neither was I worried about being found guilty. This court means nothing to me, before the ruling and after the ruling. My stand, for which I am being pursued will not change as I will always support Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque against the occupiers hoping that it is not long before the end of the occupation God willing,” Sheikh Salah said after the court ruling.

Lawyer Husain Abu Hussain said that the court’s decision is politically consistent with the official institution, adding that while Palestinians view the Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem as occupied the Zionist institution views them as areas which were annexed to the Zionist entity.

While, lawyer Sami Nujaidat said: “We did not come to court expecting justice [..] we knew from the start that this strong and truthful stand in support of the Aqsa Mosque was going to get the whole Zionist institution, including the judiciary, irritated.”