Palestinian student Abdel-Aziz Merie, 22, of Qarawat Bani Hassan in Salfit, was sentenced to 35 years in Israeli prisons as well as a fine of 516,000 NIS ($140,000 USD). He was accused by Israeli occupation forces of assisting Muhannad al-Halabi, a fellow student who stabbed two Israeli settlers in Jerusalem on 3 October 2015, killing them.
Halabi’s operation helped to touch off a growing popular uprising against the occupation and settlers. He was shot and kileld by Israeli occupation forces. Merie was accused of helping Halabi to obtain a knife and helping to bring him to Jerusalem. Both Merie and Halabi were students at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis; Merie’s family home is now under an Israeli demolition order. Halabi, a law student, engaged in this action following the killing of one of his best friends, Diaa Talameh, 21, a fellow student, by Israeli occupation forces during protests and clashes. Halabi organized the campus commemoration honoring Talameh.
