Jewish Fatah backer: I'm loyal to state

I'm loyal to the state where I grew up and was educated, Jewish Fayah supporter Tali Fahima said Wednesday during her final court hearing at the Tel Aviv District Court.

As part of a plea bargain, Fahima confessed to offenses of contact with a foreign agent while intentionally harming national security, transferring

information to the enemy for its benefit and violating a legal order. Both sides agreed on a three -year prison term.

Three clauses were removed from the original indictment, including aiding the enemy at a time of war, possession of weapons and supporting a terror organization.

"I never intended on harming the state. Despite this campaign and administrative detention, there are all kinds of irrelevant interests here, and I was caught up in the situation," she said.

"I confessed to the amended indictment, but I repeat that I had no intention to harm the state's security," she added.

Fahima's verdict is expected to be read on December 22.

Supporters gather outside court

The State Prosecutor's Office and Fahima's defense attorney agreed to ask the court to sentence Fahima to a period of probation, in which she will be prohibited from committing any of the convicted offenses, as well as abiding by orders prohibiting entry into a closed military zone.

Fahima's attorney, Smadar Ben-Natan, said

recently that the State Prosecutor's Office did not object to reducing one-third of Fahima's prison term. Thus, if this is approved by the court, Fahima will be released from prison within 11 months.

Dozens of Fahima's supporters arrived at the Tel Aviv court in order to express their support. The demonstrators sang a Hanukkah song and blew up balloons bearing the names of security organizations.

The Fahima affair has been going on for a number of years. It started when the young Israeli woman befriended Fatah members in Jenin, headed by wanted terrorist Zakaria Zubeidi.

Following her trips to Jenin during the Intifada, Fahima was arrested and accused by the state of aiding Fatah members against the IDF. She claimed her relations with Fatah were friendly and humanitarian only.