RAMALLAH, May 3, 2018 (WAFA) – Israel, which claims to be democratic, manipulates its own legal system to subjugate its Palestinian citizens, Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said on Thursday in reaction to Israel‘s conviction of Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour.

Tatour, a Palestinian-Israeli citizen, was found guilty on Thursday by a Nazareth court of alleged incitement for publishing poetry on social media.

"When he tweeted last week that Palestinian child prisoner Ahed Tamimi should be shot, Israeli official and deputy speaker of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) Bezalel Smotrich was not held accountable for inciting to violence or supporting acts of terror against Palestinians. However, the Nazareth District Court convicted Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour today of alleged ‘incitement‘ for publishing her poetry on social media three years after she was first arrested in 2015," said Ashrawi in a statement.

"This outrageous decision constitutes the real "incitement" and is a grave and unacceptable infringement of the freedom of opinion and expression. It also reaffirms that Israel who claims to be a democratic state continues to manipulate its own legal system to subject its Palestinian citizens to unjust and cruel policies and measures of discrimination and social exclusion."

Ashrawi said that it is time for the international community to undertake its responsibilities "and put an end to Israel‘s dangerous and unlawful violations that jeopardize the rights and fundamental freedoms of all Palestinians."

M.K.