Israel imprisons Jordanian charity worker

The Israeli army military court of Salem has imprisoned a 61-year-old Jordanian man for "assisting a hostile organisation." Atta Ayash has been jailed for four months and ordered to pay a fine of $8,150. Ayash condemned the ruling, describing it as oppressing; further adding that such a ruling reflects the arrogance of the Israeli occupation. The Ayash family said in a statement that the ruling lacks the humanitarian and ethical values, and that the Israeli government has ignored the laws and international charters and agreements. The court accused Ayash of providing financial support to the Gaza Strip and to the family of martyr Yehia Ayash in the West Bank. Atta Ayash serves as a public relations director for the the Islamic Center, a charitable organisation in the Jordanian city of el-Mafrak. Prior to his charity work Ayash worked as a teacher in Jordan’s Ministry of Education for 30-years. The Israeli authorities arrested Ayash on April 13 during his return to Jordan.