Despite of his health set back, an Israeli military court has extended Thursday, the detention of Dr. Aziz Dweik, the chair of the Palestinian Parliament until next Tuesday, Palestinian sources reported.
Dweik, 57, was taken prisoner on august 7, when a large Israeli military force invaded Ramallah. He was held in solitary confinement after he gave an interview over the phone to some news agency following his detention.
On Thursday, Dweik who was hospitalized with chest pain said in the court room during the hearing session that his detention is unjust. "I am the elected representative of the people," he said.
No charges were presented in the court against Dweik, however it is likely that he will be charged of being a member of Hamas and that he had contacts with the head of Hamas’ politburo Khaled Masha’al.
However, Dweik said, while his feet were cuffed, "I practiced my right that I gained from being elected by the Palestinian people in a free and honest elections.” He shouted to TV camera in the court room saying that he does not recognize the legitimacy of the court.
Dweik was elected to the legislative council in January’s Parliamentary elections which resulted in Hamas forming an overwhelming majority in the parliament.
Dweik’s attorney, Usama Al-Sa’adi says his client’s health is deteriorating and that Israeli soldiers forced Dweik to take a medicine which caused him to lose balance and concentration. He added that the Israeli interrogators abused Dweik’s health set back to pressure him.
Israeli army has took more than 30 Parliament Members and 9 ministers as prisoners in an attempt to topple the Palestinian government. Several employees at the Palestinian Prime Minister’s Ramallah office were also hospitalized last week, after inhaling the poisonous contents of an envelope they received which was addressed to the PM Ismael Haniya.
Haniya confirmed his believe that this was an assassination attempt by as the envelope was mailed from Tel Aviv.
