Palestinian Leader Defiant as Israel Indicts Him

14/08/2002| IslamWeb

Israel indicted Marwan Barghouthi, one of the top leaders of the Palestinian uprising, Wednesday over the killings of scores of Israelis in a revolt which the handcuffed prisoner vowed would be victorious. "The Intifada will win," a defiant Barghouthi shouted in Hebrew at reporters who packed a Tel Aviv District court where Israel is conducting its first civilian trial of a major player in the nearly two-year-old uprising for independence.

Israel was expected to use the proceedings against the charismatic leader of Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction in the West Bank as a showcase for allegations that groups linked to the Palestinian president are tainted by terrorism.

But legal analysts say the case could boomerang against Israel as Barghouthi's Palestinian lawyers could use the media spotlight to present their client as the victim of a politically motivated bid to discredit the Palestinian Authority.

Barghouthi, who has professed his innocence, was not asked to enter a formal plea during the 15-minute inaugural session. His lawyers argued that Israeli courts had no authority to try their client, a member of the Palestinian legislature.

Israel's leading dove, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, was quoted by his office as saying about the case that "Israel is a democracy with an independent judicial system that will try Barghouthi on the severe charges against him."

The court proceedings against Barghouthi, who is often mentioned as a possible successor to Arafat, will resume on September 5.

Israel accuses Barghouthi, 43, of running the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group in Fatah which has carried out resistance bombings and other attacks which have killed Israelis in the almost two-year-old uprising.

"Marwan Barghouthi is fighting for peace," the bearded leader, handcuffed and wearing an Israeli prison uniform, told reporters in Tel Aviv District Court before the session.

Prosecutor Dvora Chen said Barghouthi was charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and "activities in a terrorist organization." The indictment cited 37 attacks which killed 26 people and wounded scores.

At least 1,498 Palestinians and 588 Israelis have been killed since the revolt began after peace talks stalled.

Israel is detaining without trial some 1,800 Palestinians suspected of security offences.

When Israel does bring Palestinians to court in occupied areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, they face military judges who are not obligated to show evidence to the defense that Israeli security authorities deem classified.

PHOTO CAPTION

Marwan Barghouthi, general secretary of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement in the West Bank, shouts in a Tel Aviv court August 14, 2002. Israel began its first civilian trial of a leader of the Palestinian uprising, slapping murder charges on firebrand Marwan Barghouthi who defiantly vowed in Hebrew: 'The Intifada will win.' (Oleg Popov/Re