MK David Azulai (Shas) has submitted a proposal aimed at “balancing out” deals involving the release of terrorist prisoners. The bill would require the government to recommend the release of Jews imprisoned for attacking Palestinian Authority Arabs each time it recommends the release of imprisoned PA terrorists.
In addition, the law would require the government to inform the Knesset of any negotiations involving terrorist release.
Azoulai and other supporters of the bill explained that the proposal aims to limit the cabinet's power to release terrorists unilaterally.
"The Israeli government is occasionally forced to intervene in decisions made by civilian and military courts, and to free terrorists who hurt many families," lawmakers wrote in their explanatory material of the bill. "This interference between authorities should be forbidden in a democratic country. In a democracy there must be full separation between the branches of power, and this law hopes to bring some balance to this issue.”
Supporters of the bill defended calls for the release of Jews imprisoned for terror-related offenses. Jews who attack Arabs on nationalist grounds are very unlikely to commit a similar offense in the future, they said, unlike Arab terrorists, who are likely to commit more attacks once released.
Among those who have expressed support for the bill are coalition head Ze'ev Elkin, MK Tzachi HaNegbi, who heads the Foreign Affairs and Defense committee, and MKs Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home), Anastasia Michaeli (Yisrael Beitenu), Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) and Yaakov Katz (Ichud Leumi). Several other MKs have signed the proposal as well.