Former Arab MK Basel Ghattas on Sunday, 8 Tammuz, entered Gilboa Prison, where he will be serving a two-year term on his conviction for assisting imprisoned terrorists. Ghattas acted as a go-between to smuggle cellular telephones and messages to terrorists imprisoned in Israel. Being an MK, he was able to enter and leave prison without being subjected to inspection.

Acting under mounting political pressure, Ghattas, who voluntarily gave up his parliamentary immunity to stand trial, reached a plea bargain agreement accepted by the prosecution and the court. Ghattas will also be compelled to pay a 120,000 shekel fine.

Maximizing his status, during a Saturday rally in support of him, held in a northern Arab village, he explained he is going to prison simply for being from a poor home and poor parents and defending those robbed of their homeland, preferring to ignore the video footage capturing him passing items to convicted terrorists.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)