<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Britain &amp; France lead European condemnation of Abdallah Abu Rahma’s&nbsp;sentencing]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://972mag.com/england-and-france-lead-european-condemnation-of-abdallah-abu-rahmha%e2%80%99s-sentencing/"><img src='https://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/jo1.jpg' alt='' /></a></p>
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<p class="byline"><abbr class="published" title="Friday, January 14th, 2011, 5:25 am">Friday, January 14 2011<span class="author vcard">|<span class="url fn n">Joseph Dana | +972 Magazine<br />
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<h1 class="post-title single-title entry-title"><a title="Britain &amp; France lead European condemnation of Abdallah Abu Rahma’s sentencing" rel="bookmark" href="http://972mag.com/england-and-france-lead-european-condemnation-of-abdallah-abu-rahmha%e2%80%99s-sentencing/"><br />
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<div><strong>After Amnesty International labeled Abdallah Abu Rahma a ‘<a href="http://972mag.com/amnesty-international-labels-abdallah-abu-rahmah-a-prisoner-of-conscience/">prisoner of conscience</a>’  on Wednesday, England and France have issued official statements of  concern regarding  the hashing of Abdallah Abu Rahma’s sentence. EU  diplomats fear that Abu Rahma’s sentence is a clear attempt by Israel to  silence legitimate forms of unarmed protest by Palestinians in the West  Bank.</strong><a class="external" href="http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/palestinian-territories_2156/france-and-the-palestinian-territories_2758/political-relations_6021/aggravation-of-the-sentence-against-abdallah-abu-rahma-11.01.11_14835.html?xtor=RSS-1" target="_blank">The French statement reads</a>,</p>
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<blockquote><p>France  deplores the aggravation of the sentence handed down against Abdallah  Abu Rahma during the appeal judgment delivered by an Israeli military  court. Mr. Abu Rahma, a pacifist activist against the construction of  the Separation Wall in the Palestinian village of Bil’in, who was  previously sentenced to a jail term of one year, was sentenced on appeal  yesterday to an additional four months in jail by an Israeli military  court on the grounds that he incited violence and participated in or  organized illegal demonstrations. We call on the Israeli authorities to  respect the legitimate right of the Palestinians to stage peaceful  demonstrations. France and its European Union partners are following  this case very closely. Our consulate general in Jerusalem and a number  of other European diplomatic missions were represented at Mr. Abu  Rahma’s hearing.</p></blockquote>
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<p><a class="external" href="http://ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&amp;id=534141582" target="_blank">The statement from the British Foreign Ministry reads</a>,</p>
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<blockquote><p>We  are concerned by the Israeli military court’s decision to extend  Abdallah Abu Rahma’s sentence on charges of incitement and organising  and participating in demonstrations to 16 months.  British diplomats,  including Consul General Sir Vincent Fean, as well as diplomats from  other EU Member states have continued to attend all hearings in Abu  Rahma’s case.  In 2007 the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the security  barrier in Abdallah’s village of Bi’lin must be rerouted, this order  has not yet been implemented by the Israeli authorities. We remain  concerned that his extended sentence is intended to prevent Abdallah and  other Palestinians from exercising their right to non violent protest  against the annexation of Palestinian land to Israel.</p></blockquote>
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<p>Abu Rahma was declared a human rights defender by the European Union,  and his conviction and sentence generated international outrage, and  was denounced by human rights organizations and the international  community alike, including EU foreign policy chief, <a class="external" href="http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/116232.pdf" target="_blank">Catherine Ashton</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="http://972mag.com/england-and-france-lead-european-condemnation-of-abdallah-abu-rahmha%e2%80%99s-sentencing/">Britain &amp; France lead European condemnation of Abdallah Abu Rahma’s sentencing</a>.</p>
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