A five-judge Supreme Court panel decided unanimously today that Red Cross representatives be permitted to visit Hizbullah terrorists Mustafa Dirani and Sheikh Abdul Obeid in prison. The judges thus rejected the government claim that the withholding of such visiting privileges is an important bargaining chip regarding the four Israelis being held hostage by Hizbullah.
The judges ruled, \"The State of Israel is a democracy that respects civil rights… Compassion and humanism are imbedded in our national character… Human dignity even of our enemy is precious to us.\" Relatives of the abducted Israelis who were present in the courtroom were infuriated by the decision. National Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the decision is \"mistaken and totally ignores the reality in Israel and the security situation… It defuses a most important advantage in Israel\'s struggle to return the captives home.\"
The judges ruled, \"The State of Israel is a democracy that respects civil rights… Compassion and humanism are imbedded in our national character… Human dignity even of our enemy is precious to us.\" Relatives of the abducted Israelis who were present in the courtroom were infuriated by the decision. National Infrastructures Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the decision is \"mistaken and totally ignores the reality in Israel and the security situation… It defuses a most important advantage in Israel\'s struggle to return the captives home.\"