As the fourth and final batch of terrorist releases looms, as a "gesture" to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for peace talks, bereaved families of terror victims are not taking the "perversion of justice" quietly.
Jeff Daube, Director of the Zionist Organization of America's (ZOA) Israel branch, took part in Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon's meeting with bereaved parents on Wednesday. Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Daube noted America "should not press Israel to release prisoners."
Daube noted that 6% of the PA budget goes to jailed terrorists, asking, "why is it that we are paying the salaries of convicted murderers?"
In February, the PA pledged an extra $46 million a year to released terrorists, money inevitably coming from US taxpayers given the $46 million the PA is set to receive in 2014 from America.
In the meeting, Daube presented Danon with a letter from the parents which he brought to Congress two weeks ago.
"The spilled blood of innocent Jewish and Arab civilians is offered to the Arab street as proof of valor and courage. This is a sick perversion of reality," charges the letter.
The release of terrorists, and the ensuing PA praise of them as "heroes," only incites future terror, argues the letter, noting "all who wish harm on Israel observe that the Jewish state is willing to release the murderers of its children for a few moments of positive media coverage."
Terrorists freed in past "goodwill gestures" have murdered roughly 180 Israelis, notes the letter. Just Monday, a terrorist freed in the 2011 Gilad Shalit deal was caught with a knife entering Jerusalem, and admitted to have planned a stabbing attack.
The letter further notes the lack of regret by terrorists indicates that their return to terror is natural.
Majdi Amro, one of the terrorists who murdered several teenage children of signatories to the letter, was given 17 life terms for a Haifa bus bombing that killed 17, mostly high school students. In a British documentary several years ago, the letter reports the terrorist said "I am not worried. I will not be in jail for long. I will be out shortly and will go back to killing Jews."
"Being complicit in turning the killers of our children and parents into heroes and ‘freedom fighters’ must not be part of any policy befitting a great nation and moral exemplar like the United States," concluded the letter.