Israel Matzav

Cabinet passes law aimed at stopping terrorist releases

Israel's Ministerial Legislation Committee has approved a bill to be presented by the coalition, which would pass a 'basic law' (allegedly cannot be overridden by the Supreme Court) that would bar the premature release of 'Palestinian' terrorists.

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said "the State of Israel is opening a new page in the war against terror and its moral commitment to bereaved families.

"Years of blackmail and wholesale release will stop when this bill becomes law," Bennett added.

"The Bayit Yehudi will work in the upcoming [Knesset] session to pass the law without delay."
Seven ministers, from Likud Beytenu and Bayit Yehudi, voted in favor and three Yesh Atid and Hatnua ministers opposed.

The proposed legislature aims to allow the courts to use the heavy sentence, which blocks the president’s ability to pardon criminals in special cases like terrorist attacks, murder with nationalist motivations, or murder of children. 

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The bill was proposed by Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman Ayelet Shaked and MK David Tsur (Hatnua) and co-sponsored by coalition chairman Yariv Levin (Likud Beytenu), MKs Robert Ilatov (Likud Beytenu), Orit Struck (Bayit Yehudi), Shuli Moalem-Refaeli (Bayit Yehudi), Motti Yogev (Bayit Yehudi) and Yisrael Hasson (Kadima).

Ilatov pointed out that similar sentences exist in the US and that the bill, should it become law, will not discriminate by religion, ethnicity or gender of the murderer.

"The goal is to have more severe sentences, without having the death penalty," he explained. "Whoever deprives the whole world [by killing a person] will pay by losing his freedom."

The legislation is an amendment to Basic Law: The Presidency, which currently says the president may pardon any criminal.

If the change becomes law, it will allow judges to use their discretion on whether a murder is a “special case” or not, meaning there is a possibility that law may never be put to use even if it is passed.

I'm almost surprised that the Left didn't vote in favor. This law sounds like it could be used to prevent the release of alleged Rabin assassin Yigal Amir.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Ayelet Shaked, constitution, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian terrorists, Supreme Court, Yigal Amir, Yitzchak Rabin

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:18 PM