\"Better late than never.\" So said Dov Har-Shefi today, only minutes after being informed that President Moshe Katzav had signed a pardon for his daughter, Margalit Har-Shefi. Margalit is serving a nine-month prison sentence for \"not preventing\" the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin. She has claimed all along that though the assassin Yigal Amir had told her that he wanted to kill Rabin, she informed him that if he appeared to her to be serious about this, she would report him to the police (see for details). Many judicial experts expressed their strong objections to the conviction and sentence for judging her thoughts in a crime of omission
Margalit\'s father told Arutz-7 today that the pardon is scheduled to take effect on August 10, 23 days from now, but that he hopes that she may be able to be released earlier: \"She may have some vacation days in reserve, and the like, and we are hoping that these can be taken into account. I would like to give a big Yasher Koach (kudos) to the President; as they say, \'better late than never,\' and we are very grateful to him.\" Speaking later with Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson, Mr. Har-Shefi wished to express another special thanks: \"I am very thankful to the Arutz-7 public, which was very active in sending letters, faxes, and e-mails to President Moshe Katzav and Justice Minister Meir Shetreet... Every drop helped, and we are happy to finally know that she will be home no later than about three weeks from now...\"
President Katzav noted in his decision that Margalit did not have a hand in facilitating or planning the murder, and that she has in fact expressed her strong condemnation of it. He also noted her young age, the fact that there is no religious wing in the women\'s prison, and the fact that she had suffered in many ways throughout the long five-year period preceding the sentencing. The President said that he had consulted with various judicial elements, noting that State Attorney Edna Arbel and former GSS heads Ami Ayalon and Carmi Gillon had supported the decision to pardon Har-Shefi. Justice Minister Meir Shetreet said afterwards that though he disagrees with the decision, he can understand it: \"It is not an unreasonable decision, considering the fact that much more dangerous criminals receive the same 1/3 off for good behavior, and her behavior was perfect.\" Left-wing politicians such as Rabin\'s daughter Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pilosof, Knesset Justice Committee Chairman Ophir Pines, and Meretz leader Yossi Sarid strongly criticized the pardon.
Margalit\'s father told Arutz-7 today that the pardon is scheduled to take effect on August 10, 23 days from now, but that he hopes that she may be able to be released earlier: \"She may have some vacation days in reserve, and the like, and we are hoping that these can be taken into account. I would like to give a big Yasher Koach (kudos) to the President; as they say, \'better late than never,\' and we are very grateful to him.\" Speaking later with Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson, Mr. Har-Shefi wished to express another special thanks: \"I am very thankful to the Arutz-7 public, which was very active in sending letters, faxes, and e-mails to President Moshe Katzav and Justice Minister Meir Shetreet... Every drop helped, and we are happy to finally know that she will be home no later than about three weeks from now...\"
President Katzav noted in his decision that Margalit did not have a hand in facilitating or planning the murder, and that she has in fact expressed her strong condemnation of it. He also noted her young age, the fact that there is no religious wing in the women\'s prison, and the fact that she had suffered in many ways throughout the long five-year period preceding the sentencing. The President said that he had consulted with various judicial elements, noting that State Attorney Edna Arbel and former GSS heads Ami Ayalon and Carmi Gillon had supported the decision to pardon Har-Shefi. Justice Minister Meir Shetreet said afterwards that though he disagrees with the decision, he can understand it: \"It is not an unreasonable decision, considering the fact that much more dangerous criminals receive the same 1/3 off for good behavior, and her behavior was perfect.\" Left-wing politicians such as Rabin\'s daughter Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pilosof, Knesset Justice Committee Chairman Ophir Pines, and Meretz leader Yossi Sarid strongly criticized the pardon.