The head of the Almagor organization for victims of terrorism said Sunday that he is not reassured by the 54 life sentences handed down to Hamas terrorist Ibrahim Hamad.
Hamad was found guilty of planning and assisting in the murders of 46 people and the injury of more than 400 more in several suicide bombings.
“The life sentences given to Ibrahim Hamad are temporary sentences, in effect only until the next kidnapping or the one after that,” Almagor head Meir Indor said.
“As long as the government has not adopted the recommendations of the Shamgar Committee, which would prohibit a mass terrorist release like happened in the Shalit deal, it’s obvious that the government would give in and release [terrorists] again, if they would face another kidnapping,” he said. “Therefore, the next kidnapping is unfortunately just a matter of time.”
Terrorist groups are highly motivated following the Shalit deal, Indor warned. “It’s only a question of time – when will they succeed,” he said. “In the meantime, we’ll all a legal game of pretend, where there are lawyers and judges and families seeking justice.”
“The only ones who are serious are the terrorist groups,” he added.
There is one alternative to implementing the Shamgar Committee’s suggestions and letting terrorists know that there will be no repeat of the Shalit deal, Indor said. “The second option is the death penalty,” he stated. “However, the government already proved that it cannot apply this to the murderers of the Fogel family, and it’s hard to see it taking the initiative when it comes to others.”