Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Irena Polischuk has already served almost seven years of her prison time and the Israeli authorities have now decided to deport her to Ukraine. The Israeli authorities have announced the deportation to Ukraine of Irena Polischuk, who was convicted for aiding terrorism.

Polischuk, a citizen of Ukraine, in 2002 helped organize a terrorist attack in which two people were killed and forty were injured. Polischuk, who was then 31, married a Palestinian in Ukraine and later moved to Bethlehem. She lived in Israel illegally on a forged passport and did not register with the Ukrainian consulate. Polischuk and her husband were detained the second day following the terrorist act in the city of Rishon Le-Zion in May 2002.

Investigators have found that the spouse took the suicide bomber to the place of the crime scene in their car. Polischuk pleaded guilty of the charges and the Israeli court sentenced her to twenty years in prison. He husband received six life sentences plus 45 years in prison. Polischuk has already served almost seven years of her prison time and the Israeli authorities have now decided to deport her to Ukraine.

The Palestinian Authority has tried to contest this decision, saying the Ukrainian woman has two underage daughters, one of whom is being raised by her parents in Ukraine. This appeal and Polischuk's appeal contesting her deportation to Ukraine was denied. The Palestinian Minister for Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake said the decision to deport Polischuk to Ukraine is "dangerous and tyrannical" and breaches international law and basic human rights.