Balad MK indicted over Syria trip
MK Said Naffaa charged with contacting foreign agent over 2007 trip to Damascus during which he met with PFLP official, arranged meeting with Hamas' Mashaal
More than four years after visiting Syria, Balad MK Said Naffaa has been indicted for a line of offences including contact with a foreign agent. "This is proof of the government's racist and discriminatory policy," Naffaa told Ynet.
Two indictments were filed with the Nazareth District Court on Monday. According to the first indictment, MK Naffaa joined a group of Druze clerics who were organizing a trip for 282 Israelis to Syria via Jordan in September 2007. It is claimed that the MK tried to obtain entry permits to Syria through former MK Azmi Bishara and the Syrian Embassy in Jordan.
Related stories:
Naffaa later entered Syria with the group and stayed in the country for a week in violation of Israeli law. Under this indictment he is charged with aiding and abetting illegal departure to an enemy country and illegal departure to an enemy country.
MK Naffaa with Druze supporters (Photo: Ofer Amram)
While in Syria, the MK met with Deputy Director General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Talal Naji and is therefore charged with contacting a foreign agent. During this meeting, Naji coordinated a meeting with Hamas Politburo Khaled Mashaal at Naffaa's request. The MK arrived at Mashaal's chambers the following day.
The second indictment charges 16 Israeli citizens for offences involving unlawful trips to Syria and Lebanon. "Each of the defendants collected names of clerics who wanted to go to Syria, charged them for travel arrangements and accommodation and received their documents for entry permits," the indictment stated. It is claimed that Naffaa arranged entry passes for himself and 282 other people, mainly Druze clerics.
According to the indictment, the defendants, together with the rest of the group, visited holy sites in Syria and met with Syrian government officials without permission from the interior minister or prime minister.
The State Prosecutor's Office said that the indictment was filed in accordance with a 2009 decision by former Attorney General Menachem Mazuz. Naffaa's parliamentary immunity was revoked in January 2010.
"This is everlasting proof to what people claim about government conduct and particularly racist and discriminatory policy against an elementary human right to visiting family and holy places. The government's aim is political – keeping the Druze in the hands of the Israeli establishment."
Hassan Shaalan contributed to this report
- Receive Ynetnews updates
directly to your desktop
