Israel Demands Extradition of Palestinian Suspects of Killing Tourism Minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 07, 2002

Israel Demands Extradition of Palestinian Suspects of Killing Tourism Minister

The Israeli Justice Ministry repeated its demand on Sunday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) extradite two suspects of killing Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi.

The Israeli Justice Ministry repeated its demand on Sunday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) extradite two suspects of killing Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi.

A Justice Ministry spokesman said that the ministry's legal aid head, Jean Claude Niddam, acting on a directive issued by Attorney- General Elyakim Rubinstein, "formally requested" the PNA to turn over to Israel the suspects in the murder of Ze'evi "in accordance with the agreements" between the two sides.

"Arrest warrants have been issued in Israel for the suspects - Hamdi Koraan, 27, from (the West Bank town of) Ramallah and Bassel Assmar, 25, from Beit Rima," the spokesman said in a statement.

Ze'evi was killed in East Jerusalem last October. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the killing, saying that the move was retaliating the assassination of its leader Abu Ali Mustafa by Israeli forces last August.

Israel has demanded that the PNA extradite the suspects of the assassination, while the PNA said that it would bring them to justice under its law.

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