Israeli minister's killer jailed

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A court in Israel has jailed a Palestinian for life for the killing of the ultra-nationalist Israeli cabinet minister, Rehavam Zeevi, in 2001.

Hamdi Quran, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, shot Mr Zeevi at a Jerusalem hotel.

Quran was serving a sentence for the crime in a Palestinian jail in Jericho but Western overseers left the prison last year, citing security concerns.

The Israeli army then stormed the jail and handed him to an Israeli court.

In addition to the Zeevi sentence, Quran was given 100 years for shootings and bombings against Israelis.

"The murder of a minister is not just the murder of a person, but also a blow to a symbol of the state and its sovereignty," the Jerusalem court wrote in its decision.

"All of [Quran's] activities were carried out purposefully and with the intention of causing the most possible damage to residents of the state."

Unrepentant

Quran expressed no regret during the trial.

"I am being tried for using my right to defend myself against the Israeli occupation, the same right you use to kill us Palestinians," he said.

"I accuse you of crimes against all of humanity."

He shot and killed Mr Zeevi on 17 October 2001, in an act of revenge, the PFLP said at the time, for the killing of its leader by the Israeli army.

The PFLP is a radical left-wing organisation that does not recognise the right of Israel to exist.

Mr Zeevi was regarded as the most right-wing member of the Israeli government, headed at that time by Ariel Sharon.

Mr Zeevi advocated mass expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.