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Office Of PLC Head Denies “Exile Offer”

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies Report

The office of the detained democratically-elected head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Dr. Aziz Dweik, denied reports claiming that Dr. Dweik received an “offer” from Israel to be exiled out of Palestine for two years in exchange for his release.

The office said that all media reports on the issue are false, and that what actually happened was that the defense attorney filed an appeal for Dweik’s release, and that the lawyer has not received a response yet.

Dweik’s Bureau said that information about the PLC head must only be obtained from official sources, either through the head of the Bureau or the defense attorney, and called on media outlets to ensure accuracy in their news items, and to obtain information from their official sources.

Dweik is currently held under administrative detention, without charges or trial. He is one of 27 democratically-elected legislators currently imprisoned by Israel.

There are nearly 4,700 Palestinians currently imprisoned in 17 Israeli prisons, detention camps and interrogation centers; this includes six women and 185 children, approximately 320 Palestinians are held under Administrative Detention orders.

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Jailed MP Aziz Dweik 'rejects exile offer'

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Jailed Hamas MP Aziz Dweik on Thursday rejected an Israeli proposal to release him to exile, a prisoners group said.

Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, is being held in Ofer prison in administrative detention, without charge or trial.

Israel offered to release him on condition he agreed to spend two years in exile, said Foad al-Khafsh, head of the Ahrar Center for Prisoners Studies and Human Rights.

Dweik said he would prefer to stay in jail, al-Khafsh told Ma'an.

Al--Khafsh called on the Palestinian Authority and international rights organizations to intervene in Israel's detention of Palestinian lawmakers.

Some 27 Palestinian MPs are held in Israeli jails, 24 of them without charge or trial.