By Turgut Alp Boyraz
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AA) - An Israeli court has postponed trial proceedings in a case against a Turkish-employed charity worker charged with “supporting terrorism” until early July.
Mohamed Murtaja, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA)’s representative in the blockaded Gaza Strip, has been in Israeli custody since Feb. 12.
The decision to postpone trial proceedings was announced at a Tuesday court session in the southern city of Beersheba. The session was attended by Murtaja, who is now set to remain in custody until trial proceedings resume on July 5.
Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, has described Murtaja's aid activities in the Israel-blockaded Gaza Strip as "support for terrorism".
According to a written statement from Shin Bet, Murtaja stands accused of siphoning humanitarian aid to members of the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.
Murtaja, who is married with four children, has worked for TIKA in Gaza since 2012.
In recent years, aid workers in Gaza have faced mounting Israeli pressure, often being accused of aiding Hamas.
Wahid Burash, a UN-employed Palestinian, was previously sentenced to seven months in jail by an Israeli court for allegedly helping the Gaza-based resistance group.
And late last year, B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization that documents military violations in the West Bank, was accused of “treason” by the Israeli authorities.
What’s more, Israeli lawmakers have recently voted in favor of legislation banning activists who support a boycott of Israeli products from entering the country.