Jewish Fatah supporter released from prison

The Israel Prison Service parole board decided Wednesday to lessen Tali Fahima's sentence by a third. Fahima was serving time for contact with a foreign agent, transferring information to the enemy, and refusal to obey legal orders after her connections with senior Fatah official in Jenin, Zakaria Zubeidi, were revealed.

About four months ago, the IPS parole board rejected a similar parole request made by Fahima after she had served two-thirds of her sentence because of her insolent and rude behavior toward prison guards.

Sign calling for release of Fahima (Photo: Avi Moallem)

It should be noted that it is highly unusual for the IPS to commute a third of the sentence for security prisoners.

Upon her release, Fahima said: "I don't regret what I did. It was worth it." She was greeted by friends and supporters who awaited her outside the prison, with cheers of happiness.

Fahima told her supporters that she doesn't intend to visit her friends in the Territories. "I'm not allowed," she said. 

Fahima leaving prison, greeted by her supporters (Photo: Avi Moallem)

In response to Tali Fahima's release, extreme right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "Another traitor has been released from jail."

Ben-Gvir threatened Fahima: "Fahima should stay at home, and not go out on the Israeli street. Otherwise, she is likely to encounter the befitting response to someone who betrayed the State of Israel, and preferred to be in contact with terrorists."

'I never intended to harm the state'

Fahima was convicted for having contact with a foreign agent, transferring information to an enemy agent, and violation of a legal imperative. According to the plea bargain that she signed a little more than a year ago, she was sentenced to three years in prison. Because she already served two out of the three years, Fahima asked to be released.

During her indictment, Fahima said, "I never intended to harm the state. Despite this campaign and administrative detention, there are all kinds of irrelevant interests here, and I was caught up in the situation. I confessed to the amended indictment, but I repeat that I had no intention to harm the state's security," she said.

Sara Fahima, Tali Fahima's mother, said that she was "very pleased" with the Prison Service's parole board's decision to lessen her daughter's sentence and release her earlier than scheduled.

Fahima's lawyer, Smadar Bar Natan, said in a talk with Ynet that "we are very pleased. It's about time. She should have been released a long time ago."