Jordanian detained in Israel again after serving his sentence

AMMAN — An Israeli immigration and deportation court has decided to extend the prison term of Akram Abu Zahrah for one month and transferred him from Magedo Prison to Ayalon Prison, an activist said Sunday.

The 47-year-old Jordanian finished his prison term last Thursday after serving 14 years for protesting against former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon’s visit to Al Aqsa Mosque, which sparked the second Intifada.

The media team supporting Jordanian prisoners in Israel, Fedaa, contacted Arab Knesset members Osama Saadi, who is in charge of the prisoner file, and Hanin Zu’bi to follow up on Abu Zahrah’s case, Fedaa member Shireen Nafe told The Jordan Times over the phone.

“We think the court took the extension decision to find a legal basis for Abu Zahrah to stay in Israel, until the Jordanian authorities finish their procedures to allow his entry into the Kingdom,” Nafe said.

She added that the Israeli authorities cannot allow the freed prisoner to stay there without a residence permit and decided to keep him in prison.

The Foreign Ministry follows up on prisoners’ cases on a daily basis, its spokesperson, Sabah Rafie, said Sunday, adding that she will contact the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv for more information on Abu Zahrah’s case.

Fedaa sent a letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Sunday, urging him to look into the prisoner’s case to ensure his return to Jordan.

In the letter, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, Fedaa said Abu Zahrah’s family waited for him at the King Hussein Bridge last Thursday, but he never showed up because the procedures to secure his entry were not complete.

Last month, the Jordan Engineers Association said there are 26 Jordanian prisoners in Israel and 30 missing.