A group of family and friends of a Border Police officer currently serving a prison sentence for killing an Arab protested on Sunday evening outside the home of Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman.
Dennis Alhazov was convicted in 2009 of killing an Arab in revenge for the 2002 killing by terrorists of the IDF's Hevron Brigade Commander Col. Dror Weinberg and eleven other Jews.
The protesters demanded Alhazov’s release from prison, telling Ne'eman that since Israel is releasing Arab terrorists as part of the deal to release Gilad Shalit, there is no reason not to release a soldier who acted out of ideological motives and whose actions do not compare with those of the arch-murderers being released as part of the Shalit deal.
Dennis’s brother, Sergei, who took part in the protest, said, “We’re asking the Minister to do justice. More than a thousand security prisoners with blood on their hands are being released and there is no reason not to release my brother, who is sitting in prison for his small part in the incident. My brother was a soldier in the IDF and has spent enough time in prison; it’s time to let him go.”
Also taking part in the protest were activists in the Honenu legal aid organization who are assisting Alhazov. They said that they expect Minister Ne'eman to do his utmost for the release of 12 Jewish security prisoners.
The protest outside Ne'eman’s home was the second such protest in two days. On Saturday evening, a commotion broke out when a group of nationalists demonstrated outside the house, calling for Jewish security prisoners to be released in place of the Arab terrorists that are to be released as part of the Shalit deal.
The police dispersed the demonstrators within a few minutes. Some of the activists were able to reach the front door of the minister’s home but were stopped by security forces.
Also on Saturday, nationalists protested outside President Shimon Peres’ residence and demanded that Jewish prisoners also be freed.
“Of course we oppose vehemently the release of Arab terrorists, but since the government has already approved the deal, discrimination should at least be avoided, and the Jewish prisoners who have been serving for many years under harsh conditions should also be freed,” said an organizer.