Today, Tuesday, an Israeli court sentenced the former director of the American non-governmental organization "World Vision" in the Gaza Strip to 12 years in prison, after convicting him of embezzling millions of dollars on behalf of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), despite his denial of the accusations against him.

And the Central Court in Beersheba issued a sentence of imprisonment for “12 years, taking into account the time he has actually spent” since the start of the trial - which extended for 172 sessions - as he has been detained for 6 years, according to the ruling issued.

Al-Halabi was convicted last June of belonging to a "terrorist group", "financing terrorist activities", "transferring information to the enemy" and "possession of a weapon", according to Agence France-Presse.

Al-Halabi rejected the charges against him, and his lawyer denounced what he called a "political trial", especially since the internal audit of the American organization confirmed that his client did not transfer any money to Hamas.

The solidarity stand in Gaza condemned the verdict issued against Al-Halabi (Reuters)

Submit an appeal

His lawyer, Maher Hanna, said - today, Tuesday - "He is innocent and did nothing, and there is no evidence against him. On the contrary, I proved to the court that no money was transferred to Hamas."

Hanna - who intends to file an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court - added that "Muhammad was counting on justice, and he believed that it would eventually be achieved."

The lawyer considered that if Al-Halabi had confessed to the charges against him, he would have been released.

The Israeli attorney general also announced his intention to appeal the ruling.

Commenting on this, Omar Shakir, director of Human Rights Watch in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, described the ruling as a "deep miscarriage of justice."

Shaker considered that the trial, which lasted 6 years, in which secret evidence was used, is nothing but a "mockery of the legal procedures to be followed. He (Al-Halabi) should have been released a long time ago."

The Israeli authorities arrested Al-Halabi, a father of 5 children, in June 2016 at the Erez/Beit Hanoun crossing between Gaza and Israel, while he was returning from a meeting at the World Vision office in Jerusalem. Al-Halabi’s whereabouts were not announced for weeks.

In July 2016, the Israeli authorities raided the World Vision office in Jerusalem.