Jordanian prisoners still awaiting sentencing in Israel — activist

AMMAN — Israel has still not sentenced two Jordanian prisoners, Abdullah Zeitawi and Osaid Abu Khdeir, who have been detained since September 2014 and June this year respectively, an activist said on Thursday. 

A hearing for Zeitawi, a member of the Jordan Engineers Association, is scheduled for Wednesday, according to Shireen Nafe, a member of the Media Prisoners Support Team, Fedaa.

Israel has not given a reason for the detention of Abu Khdeir, who has been living in the West Bank for two years, Nafe told The Jordan Times.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Salem Military Court on Wednesday sentenced Jordanian engineer, Thaer Hwaiti, to 14 months in prison and a fine of 4,000 shekels (some JD745), she said.

"The court sentenced Hwaiti for 'security reasons'," Nafe noted, adding that the court did not elaborate on the charge.

Hwaiti was detained on December 24, and the sentence includes time served, so Hwaiti is already halfway through his term, the activist said.

Israeli forces arrested the 26-year-old at the King Hussein Bridge, while he was on his way to take part in a project in Ramallah, the activist said, noting that he works for a Jordanian technology company.

Hwaiti, who is being held at Megiddo Prison, graduated from Balqa Applied University’s Polytechnic Engineering College in 2015.

The Fedaa member said there are some 25 Jordanian prisoners in Israel.

Akram Abu Zahrah was the most recent Jordanian prisoner freed by Israel. He was released on February 4 after serving a 14-year prison term.

Six of the prisoners are facing life sentences, namely Abdullah Barghouthi (67 life sentences), Marae Abu Saeedeh (11 life sentences), Munir Marae (five life sentences) and Hisham Kaabi (four life sentences), in addition to Mohammad Rimawi and Hani Khamaiseh, each of whom is facing a life sentence.