Israel’s High Court of Justice on Thursday was scheduled to hear a petition from MK (Arab List) Yousef Jabareen along with the Arab Abdallah Human Rights organization against a decision of the Knesset Committee and Israel Prison Service prohibiting MKs from visiting with imprisoned terrorists, which are referred to as “Security prisoners” in the petition.

The new regulation is the result of the discovery that former Israeli Arab MK Basel Ghattas was smuggling cellular telephones and components to imprisoned terrorists.

Jabareen only filed his petition after a number of requests were turned down during recent months to visit with Fatah Tanzim faction leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving multiple life sentences for his heinous act of terror. His efforts to visit with Barghouti and other “security prisoners” have been rejected, leading to the petition. The case was scheduled to be heard by Justices Chanan Meltzer, David Mintz and Noam Solberg.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)