Fatah: Sheikh Raed Salah's arrest is in line with Israeli policies of racial discrimination
 
Fatah spokesman, Ousama al Qawasami, has said that the arrest of Sheikh Raed Salah in Britain will give Israel the green light on detention and deportation and is a decision in identification and congruity with Israeli policies of racial discrimination against Palestinians.
 
In a press statement issued by the Fatah Movement's office for Information and Culture, Qawasami said, "The British decision to detain and deport Sheikh Raed without any justifications, legal or otherwise, sends a negative message out to the Palestinian people." He went on to stress that Palestinians are defending their country and sanctities; their demands are for freedom and independence in accordance with international law and had rather hoped that Britain would arrest Israeli war criminals who had perpetrated the most heinous crimes against the unarmed Palestinian people. He further objected to the policy of double standards practiced by some countries of the world toward the Palestinian people; a matter, which has caused the international community to lose credibility. 

Qawasami added, "The Palestinian people have suffered injustice on two counts at the hands of the international community; the well-known historic injustice and their bias toward Israeli policies of repression carried out in the full view and knowledge of the whole world.  Nevertheless, the international community has failed to take any serious legal action against Israel and its racist policies." Qawasami went on to demand that the British government rescind this decision.

Supreme Follow-up Committee of the Arab Community in Israel
 
The Supreme Follow-up Committee of the Arab Community has condemned the arrest of Sheikh Raed Salah in Britain. The Committee is the largest umbrella political organisation of Israeli Arabs, including elected members of the Knesset and civil society bodies. The Committee believes that the arrest contributes to British government collusion and its transformation into an executive arm of the Israeli establishment; and to Israel's continuous incitement and recklessness toward Arab and Islamic leaders inside Israel.
 
"It would have been more fitting for the British government to pursue and punish Israeli war criminals rather that to fall in line with Zionist dictates to pursue and arrest those who defend the Palestinian people and their rights; who expose the immorality and oppression of the Israeli occupation with its savage and repressive practices."
 
On a related issue, the Follow-up Committee condemns the extension of Muhammad Kanaana's detention until legal proceedings against him have ended. Mr Kanaana, who is the secretary general of another national movement, was arrested for taking part in activities to commemorate the Palestinians Catastrophe and Setback. The Committee considers the court decision arbitrary and oppressive as there is no way of knowing how long legal proceedings will last. 
 
For more details contact Naif Zaidani on; 0526663689 
 
Regards
Office of the Supreme Follow-up Committee, Nazareth