Ghattas
Photo: AFP
MK Ghattas to serve two years in prison
The Joint List MK signs a plea bargain with the prosecution for having smuggled mobile phones to Palestinian security prisoners. After the deal is presented to the court next week, he is to resign from the Knesset.
Following a long negotiation between the State Prosecutor's office and the legal team of MK Basel Ghattas signed a plea agreement on Thursday evening, according to which the parliamentarian will serve two years in prison.
Ghattas was filmed smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards to Palestinian security prisoners in an Israeli prison. He was indicted in January for smuggling documents and communication devices into a prison, using property for terrorist purposes, aggravated fraud and committing breach of trust by a public official.
MK Ghattas
Following the plea bargain, aggravated fraud will be removed from a revised indictment that will be filed at the beginning of next week. Afterwards, Ghattas is to resign from the Knesset with immediate effect.
The communications equipment Ghattas tried to smuggle into prison
Following his two years' imprisonment, Ghattas is to be put on probation for a period of time to be determined by the court. The prosecution will also apply for Ghattas to be fined an undetermined amount and will ask the court to attach a clause of moral turpitude to the conviction to reflect the seriousness of the crimes.
The Knesset's House Committee stripped Ghattas of his parliamentary immunity in December at the request of the attorney general.
(Translated and edited by J. S. Herzog)
