Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a news conference following the extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey, December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal A Palestinian-American was sentenced to life in prison in the Palestinian territories for selling land to Jews.
The Jerusalem Post reports that the man, identified as 53-year-old Issam Akel, was found guilty on Monday by the Palestinian Grand Criminal Court of brokering a deal for the Jewish group Ateret Cohanim to purchase a house in Old City Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter. Akel is an East Jerusalem resident, where he has an Israeli ID card that provides him immunity from the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Under PA law, selling land to Jews is a crime that could result in the death penalty.
Akel was reportedly in Ramallah when he was arrested in October; it’s not known if he was visiting the city or if he was kidnapped by the PA from East Jerusalem and taken to Ramallah for prosecution.
Akel’s father, Jalal, told the Times of Israel that he was “surprised” by the sentence and rejected the notion that his son had sold land to Jews.
“We knew there was a trial happening, but we didn’t know this would happen,” Jalal Akel said.
A United States official told the Times of Israel that they were “aware” of Akel’s sentencing.
“When a U.S. citizen is incarcerated abroad, the US government works to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” the official said.
Israel is investigating the matter and arrested two members of the PA in response, although they have both been released on bail.
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