The government will back a bill proposed by MK Danny Danon (Likud) that would curtail the right of terrorist prisoners to receive visits in jail. The only visitors allowed to see the prisoners will be Red Cross representatives and the prisoner's lawyers. The limitations would remain in place until abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is freed.
The bill will come up for debate next Sunday in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, and Danon says it is expected to give it the government's backing. Bills backed by the government have excellent chances of passing in the Knesset.
Shalit's father, Noam, reportedly also favors the bill.
“It is unthinkable,” Danon said, “that while Gilad Shalit is imprisoned and does not even receive visits from Red Cross representatives, Hamas terrorists in Israel receive VIP conditions. I am certain that the members of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation will not turn their backs on Gilad and that they will approve the bill.”
Staff Sergeant Gilad Shalit was abducted on June 25, 2006 and has been held by Hamas terrorists ever since. His tank's commander, Lt. Hanan Barak, and another crew member, Pavel Slotzker, were killed in the attack.
In the years sinced the abduction, Hamas has demanded the release of hundreds of convicted terrorists in exchange for the soldier, and the Israeli government has conducted negotiations with Hamas in a bid to reach an agreed list of terrorists to be freed. Israeli media, which has great influence over the government, played up dramatic and emotional campaigns for Shalit's release "at any price."
However, talks with Hamas, brokered by Germany, broke down several months ago, reportedly because Israel insisted that terrorists convicted for violent crimes would not be allowed to return to Judea and Samaria. Israeli media clamor for Shalit's release quieted down considerably after news reports that the US administration thinks the release of hundreds of terrorists would badly affect Middle East stability.
A bill similar to Danon's was submitted to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation last year by MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) but was struck down at the request of Netanyahu, who believed it could interfere with the negotiations for Shalit's release.
Terror prisoner receives visit / Israel news photo: Flash 90