The decision states that the minors will be let off with a warning, but if they perpetrate similar crimes in the future "during the period determined by the law," they will be tried for the previous ones as well. Accusations of crimes such as illegal assembly, interference with a policeman, and insulting a policeman will be thus erased.
Shmuel Medad, head of the Honenu civil rights organization, is not overly happy about the development. "There is no desire for a real conciliation," he told Arutz-7, "as there was after the withdrawal from Sinai [in 1982 when then-Prime Minister] Menachem Begin pardoned those who had been similarly convicted."
"The government wants to continue its heavy-handed policies of not only continuing withdrawals," Medad said, "but also preventing protest. It wants to scare off all these youths from coming to protest, because they'll know that if they get arrested, they'll be charged even with their first 'crimes.'"
The Attorney General instructed the State Prosecution to sort out the hundreds of criminal files that were amassed over the months prior to and during the disengagement, and to decide their fate based on various criteria.
Over the past weeks and months, some public bodies have asked that the Prosecution show leniency regarding the idealistic youths who protested the expulsion from Gush Katif and northern Shomron. At the same time, however, some bodies have demanded the opposite, and have even threatened to go to the Supreme Court on the matter.
The guidelines distributed to the relevant authorities in the Justice Department and Israel Police explain, "These instructions reflect the proper balance between the public interest in maintaining the rule of law, and consideration of the uniqueness of the events, especially regarding the involvement of minors and youths with normative backgrounds."
The cases are to be divided into three categories, according to age of the accused, severity of the charges, circumstances, and other variables. Cases in the highest-rated category will be closed automatically, while those in the lowest will be closed only if extenuating circumstances exist.
Shmuel Medad, head of the Honenu civil rights organization, is not overly happy about the development. "There is no desire for a real conciliation," he told Arutz-7, "as there was after the withdrawal from Sinai [in 1982 when then-Prime Minister] Menachem Begin pardoned those who had been similarly convicted."
"The government wants to continue its heavy-handed policies of not only continuing withdrawals," Medad said, "but also preventing protest. It wants to scare off all these youths from coming to protest, because they'll know that if they get arrested, they'll be charged even with their first 'crimes.'"
The Attorney General instructed the State Prosecution to sort out the hundreds of criminal files that were amassed over the months prior to and during the disengagement, and to decide their fate based on various criteria.
Over the past weeks and months, some public bodies have asked that the Prosecution show leniency regarding the idealistic youths who protested the expulsion from Gush Katif and northern Shomron. At the same time, however, some bodies have demanded the opposite, and have even threatened to go to the Supreme Court on the matter.
The guidelines distributed to the relevant authorities in the Justice Department and Israel Police explain, "These instructions reflect the proper balance between the public interest in maintaining the rule of law, and consideration of the uniqueness of the events, especially regarding the involvement of minors and youths with normative backgrounds."
The cases are to be divided into three categories, according to age of the accused, severity of the charges, circumstances, and other variables. Cases in the highest-rated category will be closed automatically, while those in the lowest will be closed only if extenuating circumstances exist.