Mayor Bishara Daoud, of Beth Jala near Bethlehem and three town councilmen may appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court against a decision by the Military Governor of the West Bank to remove them from office. The four men were convicted of assaulting police during a drug search in Beth Jala 18 months ago and were to have begun serving six-month prison terms yesterday.
The Military Governor decided last night to suspend their sentences but to depose them according to Jordanian law which applies on the West Bank. It bars persons convicted on criminal charges from holding an elective office. The Military Governor made his decision after top level consultations with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense.
He acted after local Arab dignitaries appealed to him to commute the sentences. The six-month jail terms were to have been followed by 18 months probation. Attorneys for Daoud said he would seek the intervention of the Supreme Court to remain in office.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
