_a.jpg "Photo: Avi Moallem")
_a.jpg "Photo: Avi Moallem")
_a.jpg "צילום: אבי מועלם")
Jewish Fatah supporter released from prison
Israel Prison Service parole board decides Wednesday to shorten sentence of Tali Fahima, convicted of contact with foreign agent, transferring information to enemy following her relationship with senior Fatah official, Zakaria Zubeidi. As result, Fahima released from prison Wednesday on one condition: Fahima won't be allowed to leave country, enter PA
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.
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Sign calling for release of Fahima (Photo: Avi Moallem)
In light of the parole board's decision, Fahima was released Wednesday. However, this is on the condition that she is not allowed to leave the country or enter the Palestinian territories.
One of the criteria for lessening her sentence was Fahima's good behavior in prison. However, during her imprisonment, Fahima was punished more than once for disciplinary violations. Furthermore, she never received prison leave because she is considered a security prisoner.
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.
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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.
In the plea bargain, all sides agreed that the prosecution would not oppose Fahima's case to be discussed by the parole board.
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."
