Expelled mayors appeal to Israeli High Court

Press, 23 October 1980, Page 7

Expelled mayors appeal to Israeli High Court

NZPA-Reuter Jerusalem ’ Two Arab mayors will] lodge a. High Court appeal; against their expulsion six I months ago from the Israeli-1 occupied West Bank of the. Jordan. The Israeli Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) vesterday refused to allow the mayors of Hebron and Halhul, Fahd Qawasmeh and Mohammed Milhem, to return to their town’s. But he said any appeal decision by the High Court would be honoured by the Government.

11 The mayors were expelled; |in May after six Jews died! l|in a Palestinian guerrilla at-; ■ tack. They are at present on ;ja hunger strike in protest ; against a decision by the military appeals board to uphold the expulsion order. Arab sources said a spe- > cial meeting of West Bank ’ leaders had decided that all 1 mayors and village heads in 1 the territory would resign if • the High Court failed to ! overturn the expulsion j order. ; The two mayors are being held in custody at the Allen-

by Bridge where the appeal was heard.

Their lawyer, Felicia Langer, said she was demanding that the mayors be transferred from the Allenby Bridge to a place where they could receive proper medical supervision during their hunger strike.

The wives of the two expelled men and eight of their children demonstrated outside Mr Begin’s office yesterday. They were taken into custody by the police who said they had not received permission to hold a demonstration.