The Communist Party of Israel

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The Communist Party of Israel

http://www.maki.org.il/index.php?option ... &Itemid=90



Leading Communist Party of Israel members demonstrated today in Bil'in     

Once again, Palestinians, as well as Israeli and foreign peace activists, held today (Friday, November 13) massive demonstrations against the West Bank occupation fence in Na'alin and Bil'in. And, once again, the protesters clashed with occupation forces, hurling rocks in their direction. In today's Na'alin rally two protesters were wounded by Israeli soldiers.

In Bil'in, members of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) and leading Communist Party of Israel activist's Dov Khenin, Afo Agbaria and Hadash (the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) chairman MK Muhammad Barakeh joined several hundreds demonstrators and protested the latter's indictment for allegedly attacking a police officer four years ago.

The Attorney General informed last week that criminal charges have been filed against MK Barakeh, chairman of Hadash "for attacking an official who was discharging his legal duty, insulting a public servant, assault and interfering with a policeman in the line of duty".

The Communist Party of Israel declared that the indictment against Barakeh was based on false testimony which Barakeh completely denied. According to the indictment, Barakeh participated in a protest against the apartheid fence near the Bil'in Palestinian village on April 28, 2005. When a soldier arrested one of the demonstrators, Barakeh allegedly choked him with his right hand and struck the soldier's hands with his left, while shouting to nearby demonstrators, "free him, free him". For this, he was charged with assaulting a person performing a duty or function assigned to him by law, a felony that carries a maximum five-year sentence.
 
Leading Communist Party member MK Muhammad Barakeh accused of assaulting an officer    

The Attorney General informed Knesset (Israeli Parliament) Speaker Reuven Rivlin yesterday (Sunday, November 1, 2009) that criminal charges have been filed against MK Muhammad Barakeh, chairman of Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), "for attacking an official who was discharging his legal duty, insulting a public servant, assault and interfering with a policeman in the line of duty".

The Communist Party of Israel declared that the indictment against Barakeh was based on false testimony which Barakeh completely denied. According to the indictment, Barakeh participated in a protest against the apartheid fence near the Bil'in Palestinian village on April 28, 2005. When a soldier arrested one of the demonstrators, Barakeh allegedly choked him with his right hand and struck the soldier's hands with his left, while shouting to nearby demonstrators, "free him, free him". For this, he was charged with assaulting a person performing a duty or function assigned to him by law, a felony that carries a maximum five-year sentence.

On August 5, 2006, Barakeh took part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv's Carmel Market against the criminal Second Lebanon War. When his son, Said a member of the Israeli Young Communist League (Banki-Shabiba), was detained by police officer Sharon Harpaz, Barakeh demand to free him. For this, he was charged with insulting a public servant, a crime punishable by six months in jail.

On July 22, 2006, while taking part in another demonstration against the war in Lebanon, Barakeh allegedly struck a photographer, Yitzhak Hananya, in the ribs and shoulder, after Hananya had insulted well-know peace activist Uri Avnery. For this he was charged with common assault, a misdemeanor punishable by two years in jail.

On July 7, 2007, during a protest in Nazareth, Barakeh allegedly ordered a policie officer, Avraham Haliwa, to release Hadash secretary-general Ayman Udah from arrest. For this, Barakeh was charged with hindering a police officer in the performance of his duty, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of three years.

The Communist Party of Israel charged that it had evidence proving that during the Bil'in protest it was the police and those dressed as Arabs who attacked the demonstrators, including Barakeh, and used tear gas and shock grenades against them.  Barakeh complained to the Justice Ministry's Police Investigation Department about their behavior but the department did not investigate the complaint.

The Communist Party said that the indictment was politically motivated and that it wanted to criminalize purely political and legitimate protest against war and occupation and to sully Barakeh's reputation.
 
Students refuse to enlist in the Israeli army due to occupation    

One hundred students signed this year's high school seniors' letter, which has traditionally attempted to challenge Israel's mandatory army service policy. Similar letters have circulated every few years since 1979, all calling on teens to object to Tzahal (Israeli army) service.