On Tuesday afternoon the Israeli Central Court in Jerusalem sentenced Basil Asmar, to one life-term and additional twenty years for “participating in the assassination of the Israeli Minister of Tourism Rahba’am Ze’evi in October 17, 2001, the Arabs48 News Website reported.Asmar was convicted earlier this year of membership with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and of “attempted murder” of Israelis in a number of attacks.
The Israeli prosecution claimed Asmars participation in the assassination of Zee’vi was essential since he, according to the prosecution, was the person who gave the order, and that he acted along with Hamdi Qar’an.
Qar’an was sentenced to one-life term after the Israeli court, in earlier sessions, convicted him of shooting Ze’evi in the head.
The prosecution also stated that Asmar and Ze’evi joined the Popular Front in 2001 with the intension to carry attacks against Israel and Israeli officials.
Moreover, the prosecution also claimed that in September 2001, the PFLP decided to assassinate Ze’evi in retaliation to the assassination of its then Secretary-general Abu Ali Mustafa.
Ze’evi was assassinated in Hayat Hotel in Jerusalem.
Israel is currently holding prisoner, Ahmad Sa’adat, secretary-general of the PFLP, and several other PFLP members, and claims that they are involved in planning the assassination of Ze’evi and in planning several attacks against Israeli targets.
Sa’adat was imprisoned in a Palestinian prison in Jericho. The prison was guarded by US and EU guards but the Israeli army attacked the prison and abducted Sa’adat. The US and EU guards left their posts minutes before the Israeli army attacked the prison compound.
