President Katzav further said that he and Sharon are in agreement on this issue – but Sharon himself apparently doesn't think so. The Prime Minister told Haaretz today that if the disengagement/expulsion from Gush Katif and northern Shomron passes peacefully, he plans to honor Abu Mazen's request to release murderers afterwards.
By way of explanation, Sharon said that the issue is of "critical importance" for Abu Mazen and the PA. Sharon said, "They [the PA leaders] tell us openly, 'We sent these people to carry out [the murders – ed.], and we spend time in hotels around the world [while they remain in prison]."
Shifra Hoffman of the Victims of Terror Association said, "If the problem is equality, then the leaders who sent them should spend time in prison as well." She added that the distinction between "blood on their hands" and those who "only" maimed their victims is unacceptable, and that neither should be released.
President Katzav was pressed by his Israel Radio interviewer today: "Since the issue is so critical for the Palestinians, and if the entire peace process hinged on this point, would you still refuse to pardon murderers?" The President replied that from an ethical standpoint, those who cruelly murdered entire families and the like cannot be pardoned. He said that he will review each case on its own merits, and that exceptions could be made for humanitarian reasons such as old age or sickness.
The final decision as to which prisoners to release – or at least which prisoners President Katzav will be asked to pardon – will be made by a special ministerial committee. The members are Ministers Sharon, Olmert, Peres, Mofaz, Shalom, Netanyahu and Ramon. Shabak head Avi Dichter is against releasing those with "blood on their hands," while IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon is not.
Two Jews imprisoned for security-related crimes – they were jailed for two years, without parole, for possession of dynamite sticks – say they are being discriminated against on the basis of race. The two are Yitzchak Pass, whose baby daughter Shalhevet was murdered by terrorists almost four years ago, and his brother-in-law Mati Shvo. In a suit they filed in the Supreme Court today, they say that no decision should be made on the issue of releasing Arab terrorists until their own plea for release is judged.
In this connection, 45 MKs have signed a petition calling upon PM Sharon to release Jewish security prisoners. The petition, organized by the Honenu organization ("www.honenu.org.il") was signed not only by right-wing MKs, but even by Amram Mitzna of Labor. Mitzna explained, "When we release Palestinian prisoners as part of an appeasement process, it makes sense to release Jews as well who do not have blood on their hands. There must be some inner balance to this process."
Honenu director Shmuel Medad said that when Israel released PA prisoners as a gesture five years ago, he turned to then-Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon with a request to release Jewish prisoners as well. Sharon wrote to Medad at the time, "There is no doubt that there is an ethical context to [your request]. This is a request that is worthy to be discussed as a central question and as a legal question, and I will act in the relevant forums on this topic. It has been proven that Jewish prisoners who have been released do not return to terrorism, as opposed to Palestinian terrorists who generally do."
Recent research published by journalist Boaz HaEtzni and others shows that close to half of the thousands of terrorists released by Israel in the past 20 years have returned to terrorism. More details in Friday's report.
By way of explanation, Sharon said that the issue is of "critical importance" for Abu Mazen and the PA. Sharon said, "They [the PA leaders] tell us openly, 'We sent these people to carry out [the murders – ed.], and we spend time in hotels around the world [while they remain in prison]."
Shifra Hoffman of the Victims of Terror Association said, "If the problem is equality, then the leaders who sent them should spend time in prison as well." She added that the distinction between "blood on their hands" and those who "only" maimed their victims is unacceptable, and that neither should be released.
President Katzav was pressed by his Israel Radio interviewer today: "Since the issue is so critical for the Palestinians, and if the entire peace process hinged on this point, would you still refuse to pardon murderers?" The President replied that from an ethical standpoint, those who cruelly murdered entire families and the like cannot be pardoned. He said that he will review each case on its own merits, and that exceptions could be made for humanitarian reasons such as old age or sickness.
The final decision as to which prisoners to release – or at least which prisoners President Katzav will be asked to pardon – will be made by a special ministerial committee. The members are Ministers Sharon, Olmert, Peres, Mofaz, Shalom, Netanyahu and Ramon. Shabak head Avi Dichter is against releasing those with "blood on their hands," while IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon is not.
Two Jews imprisoned for security-related crimes – they were jailed for two years, without parole, for possession of dynamite sticks – say they are being discriminated against on the basis of race. The two are Yitzchak Pass, whose baby daughter Shalhevet was murdered by terrorists almost four years ago, and his brother-in-law Mati Shvo. In a suit they filed in the Supreme Court today, they say that no decision should be made on the issue of releasing Arab terrorists until their own plea for release is judged.
In this connection, 45 MKs have signed a petition calling upon PM Sharon to release Jewish security prisoners. The petition, organized by the Honenu organization ("www.honenu.org.il") was signed not only by right-wing MKs, but even by Amram Mitzna of Labor. Mitzna explained, "When we release Palestinian prisoners as part of an appeasement process, it makes sense to release Jews as well who do not have blood on their hands. There must be some inner balance to this process."
Honenu director Shmuel Medad said that when Israel released PA prisoners as a gesture five years ago, he turned to then-Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon with a request to release Jewish prisoners as well. Sharon wrote to Medad at the time, "There is no doubt that there is an ethical context to [your request]. This is a request that is worthy to be discussed as a central question and as a legal question, and I will act in the relevant forums on this topic. It has been proven that Jewish prisoners who have been released do not return to terrorism, as opposed to Palestinian terrorists who generally do."
Recent research published by journalist Boaz HaEtzni and others shows that close to half of the thousands of terrorists released by Israel in the past 20 years have returned to terrorism. More details in Friday's report.