Shurat Hadin, an organization that represents terror victims in court in Israel and around the world, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court today (Wednesday) in the name of bereaved families against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Cabinet ministers following the agreement with Turkey that enables Hamas to continue operations from within that country.
According to the petition, the agreement provides for Hamas to continue to maintain an official base of operations in Turkish territory, and prevents expulsion and/or prosecution of Hamas officials.
"The agreement fails to address the matter of the close cooperation between Turkey and the Hamas terror organization, which has made it its business to murder Israeli civilians for decades, and Turkey's support of the organization."
The petition also contains the claim that "the agreement completely squanders the opportunity to limit the murderous terror activities perpetrated and directed from Turkish soil, and to achieve justice for victims of terror.
"The agreement completely ignores the consequences of these matters in the security, deterrence, and human spheres, in a manner that is entirely untenable and unreasonable."
"In order to quiet the uproar from this capitulation to terror, the government points out that Turkey has committed to preventing the Hamas military wing from operating in its territory, while the base that remains in Turkey will be part of the Hamas military leadership only. However, the separation between the activities of the military wing--which will not be permitted to operate on Turkish soil, and the political wing--which will continue its relations with the Turks as usual, is entirely without basis in fact or law, goes against previous conventions, and is entirely unreasonable," the petition states.
The agreement does stipulate that Turkey will not allow Hamas to plan terror attacks against Israel from its territory. However Hamas will be allowed to continue its operation in Istanbul and the Turkish government will continue its diplomatic relationship with the terror group.
What's more, on the same day that Turkey committed to preventing Hamas from planning attacks from its territory, it was reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Istanbul, in which he made clear that the agreement with Israel will have no effect on Turkey's relationship with Hamas, which will continue as before.
The petition continues, "before long we won't be able to turn back; seeing as these are matters that go to the very heart of Israel's security, the subject of this petition is very urgent."
The petition is signed by terror victims and their family members.
Among those who signed is Devorah Gonen, mother of Danny Gonen (25) of Lod, who was murdered a year ago by a terrorist who shot nearly ten bullets at him. The terrorist held out his hand toward the car in which Danny and his friends were sitting, looking as if he needed help. The friends stopped the car in order to help the man who moments later became Danny's murderer.
Another signee is Ruthi Hasno, widow of Avraham Asher Hasno (54) of the town of Kiryat Arbah (near Hevron) who was murdered on the 20th of October, 2015. Avraham Hasno left his car on the side of the road after stones were thrown at it by Arab rioters, and was subsequently run over by a Palestinian truck driver.
Hasno was survived by his wife Ruthi, seven children and seven grandchildren. He had worked as the kitchen manager in the Otniel yeshiva high school.
Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, head of the 'Shurat Hadin' organization, said that the agreement signed with Turkey is an unacceptable compromise. "The cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister must oppose any rapprochement with Turkey that doesn't include a total termination of Hamas operations on Turkish soil and the expulsion of Hamas leaders from the country
"They must oppose any deal that doesn't include an end to Turkish support--whether monetary of political--of Hamas. Any agreement that doesn't fulfill these conditions will institutionalize the activities of the terror organizations and give them more legitimacy."
According to Darshan-Leitner, without insisting on these conditions Israel will be sending a message to all the nations of the world saying that it is willing to have a full diplomatic relationship with countries that host, support, and fund murderous terror groups within their borders.
"The ratification of this kind of deal damages Israel's security, hurts the terror victims who have paid a heavy price, and walks back the principles of combating terror that have been developed over many bloody years, dictating that there is no distinction to be made between the the political and military wings of any terror organization."