The Almagor Terror Victims’ Organization sponsored a meeting of families of terror victims at the Ramat Rachel Hotel in Jerusalem on Monday.
The meeting was the first since the release in October of Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 terrorists.
During the meeting, Almagor gave an award to Yossi Zur, Yossi Mendelevich and Ron Kehrmann. All three lost their children in a 2003 suicide bombing attack on a Haifa bus. The three men tried to prevent the release of the Shalit deal terrorists by filing a claim of compensation for damages in a civil court against the murderers of their children.
Almagor chairman Meir Indor said during the meeting, “Although we lost the battle and terrorists with blood on their hands were released, we won the battle for the public opinion.”
The guest of honor at the evening was MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) who said, “Our lesson from this difficult year is that it is not enough to catch terrorists if there is a government that has a revolving door policy. Terrorists with blood on their hands go to jail and are later released – this must stop.”
Eldad added, “We must fight against the surrender to terrorism because of justice and because of the law.”
The Almagor Terror Victims Association urged the judge presiding over the trial of Muhammad Sufan, who is accused of committing a terrorist attacks outside a Tel Aviv nightclub, to reject a plea bargain that will see the nationalist motive clause dropped from the indictment.
“The verdict must include the motive to murder Israelis and the prison term should be determined according to what is customary in terror attacks, without mitigations,” said the association’s chairman.
The Almagor Terror Victims Association blamed the shooting of a vehicle in the West Bank Saturday on the second part of the prisoner exchange in return for Gilad Schalit.
“Today’s firing on an Israeli car near Ma’ale Shomron is the direct result of the second release of [Palestinian] prisoners in the Schalit deal,” Almagor chairman Meir Indour said.
Now that the second phase of the Shalit deal has been implemented and 550 terrorist prisoners have been released, the Hamas terror group is already planning the next kidnapping.
In a press briefing held on Sunday evening, the spokesman of Hamas’s military wing, Abu Obeida, welcomed the Shalit deal and called it “an achievement of the Palestinian resistance,” according to a Channel 2 News report.
Abu Obeida then added, “Our wish was and still is to empty the prisons of the occupation of all the heroic prisoners. Our success in this historic deal will not cause us to never abandon our sacred duty to the release our warriors from behind bars.”
Channel 2 also quoted a statement issued Sunday by Izz al-Din al-Qassam, Hamas’ military wing, which said, “If we released 20% of our prisoners in exchange for one soldier then such action could be repeated. Hero prisoners, we will continue to work for you, no matter how much we have to pay for it.”
After Shalit was released in October, Hamas terrorists in Gaza promised that there would be more kidnappings of IDF soldiers.
In a huge rally held by Hamas in Gaza on the day the first phase of the deal was completed, thousands of people shouted, “The people want a new Gilad.”
Meanwhile, Meir Indor, head of the Almagor terror victims’ group, warned Sunday that the 550 terrorists being released in the second round of the Shalit exchange are not “small fry” who committed light crimes. He said that 220 of the 550 are “heavy cases” and include terrorists who detonated explosives against their targets but failed to kill anyone.
Earlier it was reported that the Israeli government had freed hard core terrorists contrary to its promise that only ”car thieves” would be released in stage two of the Shalit deal.
Shalit Deal Completed: Another 550 Prisoners Freed
Two months after Gilad Shalit’s return home, prisoner swap agreement with Hamas completed with the release of hundreds of security prisoners to West Bank, Gaza and Jordan; thousands celebrate in Ramallah
The second phase of the deal that secured the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity was completed Sunday night with the release of an additional 550 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel released a total of 1,027 male and female Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. Most of the prisoners returned to the West Bank. The rest – with the exception of a few prisoners who were transferred to Jordan – were released to Gaza.
On Sunday 505 security prisoners were transported from Ofer Prison to a crossing near Beitunia, where hundreds of relatives who were awaiting their arrival clashed with IDF forces. The Palestinians hurled Molotov cocktails and stones and set tires on fire. One soldier was lightly injured in the rioting.
Video: Reuters
Meanwhile, some 2,000 people gathered at the Mukataa compound in Ramallah, where, along with Fatah leaders, they greeted the prisoners who arrived aboard dozens of buses. Prior to the reception, the Palestinian prisoners visited Yasser Arafat’s tomb. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was not on hand because he is visiting Turkey.
During the rally in Ramallah, Tayeb Abdel Rahim, the Palestinian Authority’s secretary-general, praised the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah.
Hamas parliamentary Speaker Aziz Dweik, who also attended the rally, mentioned the Hamas MPs who were still imprisoned in Israel. “Every Palestinian deserves freedom, regardless of whether he is an MP or not,” he told the crowd.
In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida told a press conference following the completion of the Shalit deal “we’ve released 20% of the prisoners for one soldier. The Palestinian resistance’s goal is to free all the prisoners from Israeli jails.”
Earlier Sunday, the High Court of Justice rejected a petition filed by the Almagor Terror Victims Association against the release of the Palestinian prisoners, effectively green-lighting the second phase of the deal.
The judges said in their ruling that the court does not intervene in the authorities’ considerations, adding that it “should not determine whether it is preferable to release prisoners who belong to Hamas or those who belong to Fatah.” On Thursday the court rejected a similar petition filed by terror victims’ families.
On Sunday President Shimon Peres signed clemency orders for 43 of the Palestinian security prisoners who were released as part of the deal.
Apart from the 505 Palestinian prsioenrs who were released to the West Bank, 41 prisoners were released to Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, two were transferred to Jordan via the Allenby crossing, and two more returned to east Jerusalem.
Defense establishment officials stressed that none of the 550 inmates who were released are affiliated with Hamas, and that none were defined as having “blood on their hands.”
Most of the Palestinian prisoners were jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails and stones, and about 400 of them have already completed two-thirds of their sentences.
However, the group of prisoners did include Salah Hamouri, who plotted to murder Rabba Ovadia Yosef, and Taltal Na’asan, a senior Force 17 member who was arrested in 2001 and confessed to taking part in shooting attacks and planning to plant bombs in the Ramallah region.
Another prisoner who took part in deadly terror activity and was released nonetheless is Darwis Dadar, a Tanzim operative who was arrested in 2004. He was involved in a suicide bombing on King George Street in Jerusalem in 2002. The attack claimed the lives of three Israelis.
Jaber Badr, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who planned to carry out a suicide attack against Israel in 2007 as revenge for Israel’s policies regarding the Temple Mount, was also released Sunday.
Soldier Hurt in Clashes Ahead of Palestinian Prisoners’ Release
Palestinian prisoners transported to Allenby, Atarot and Kerem Shalom border crossings as second phase of Shalit deal begins; relatives waiting for inmates at Beitunia checkpoint hurl firebombs, stones at security forces
Israel is set to release 550 Palestinian prisoners Sunday evening as part of the second and final phase of the agreement which secured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit’s release from Hamas captivity.
The prisoners, who will be released to the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan, will join the 447 Palestinians who were released as part of the deal’s first phase in mid-October.
Meanwhile, IDF forces and some 400 relatives of Palestinian prisoners included in the deal were clashing at the Beitunia checkpoint, near Ofer Prison, Sunday evening. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported that a soldier was lightly injured from a stone.
The relatives of the Palestinian prisoners, who also hurled Molotov cocktails at soldiers, gathered at the scene to welcome the prisoners but were asked to evacuate the area. Firebombs and rocks were thrown at the soldiers during the ensuing clashes, the army said. The Palestinians also set tires on fire. Soldiers responded by firing gas canisters at the rioters.
Earlier, the High Court of Justice rejected a petition filed by the Almagor Terror Victims Association against the release of the Palestinian prisoners, effectively green-lighting the second phase of the deal.
Soldiers try to contain riot at checkpoint (Photo: AP)
The judges said in their ruling that the court does not intervene in the authorities’ considerations, adding that it “should not determine whether it is preferable to release prisoners who belong to Hamas or those who belong to Fatah.” On Thursday the court rejected a similar petition filed by terror victims’ families.
On Sunday President Shimon Peres signed clemency orders for 43 security prisoners slated to be released as part of the deal.
The release of the prisoners began at 7 pm, when 45 of the inmates were transported from Ayalon Prison to the Allenby, Atarot and Kerem Shalom border crossings. At 10 pm the remaining prisoners are scheduled to be transported from Ofer Prison to the Beitunia checkpoint.
Defense establishment officials stressed that none of the 550 inmates who will be released are affiliated with Hamas, and that none were defined as having “blood on their hands.”
Most of the Palestinian prisoners were jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails and stones, and about 400 of them have already completed two-thirds of their sentences.
However, the group of prisoners who are set to be released does include Salah Hamouri, who plotted to murder Rabba Ovadia Yosef, and Taltal Na’asan, a senior Force 17 member who was arrested in 2001 and confessed to taking part in shooting attacks and planning to plant bombs in the Ramallah region.
Another prisoner who took part in deadly terror activity and will be released nonetheless is Darwis Dadar, a Tanzim operative who was arrested in 2004. He was involved in a suicide bombing on King George Street in Jerusalem in 2002. the attack claimed the lives of three Israelis.
Jaber Badr, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who planned to carry out a suicide attack against Israel in 2007 as revenge for Israel’s policies regarding the Temple Mount, will also be released.
The High Court of Justice rejected a petition filed by Almagor organization against the release of 550 security prisoners as part of the second phase of the Shalit Deal.
In their ruling the judges noted that the court does not intervene in the decisions of the executive branch, “and has no business in deciding whether the prisoners released are members of Hamas or Fatah.”
Meir Indor, head of the Almagor terror victims’ group, warned Sunday that the 550 terrorists being released in the second round of the Shalit exchange are not “small fry” who committed light crimes. He said that 220 of the 550 are “heavy cases” and include terrorists who detonated explosives against their targets but failed to kill anyone.
Almagor’s appeal against the release was filed with the assistance of Gloria Bierman, who dedicated the effort to the memory of her late husband, law professor Jacquin D. Bierman.
“The United States would never negotiate with terrorists. It’s a known fact and we in Israel should emulate their methods,” she said.
“We must keep dangerous terrorists in prison because all of our children are at risk. All of our grandchildren, all of our future is at risk, and we must protect Israel. And we must maintain the system of law and justice. Although I believe in mercy—but mercy for terrorists is out of reach.”
“This is impossible in the United States. Terrorists, or dangerous criminals, stay in prison. And for maximum sentences, not minimum. So I propose that you maintain law and order in an honorable way. And you protect the citizens of Israel. Protect their future. Our future. Because we are all one people. Even in the United States we are Jews.”
The Almagor Organization has petitioned the High Court of Justice against the second phase of the Shalit deal on Sunday. The petition states that the prisoners’ release is unauthorized and that only the Knesset can give such a sweeping pardon.
It was also claimed that the insistence to uphold the rest of the deal after Shalit’s release borders on radical lack of sensibility as the “government seeks to appear to honor agreements with terrorist authorities.”
The government is freeing hard core terrorists Sunday, contrary to its promise that only ”car thieves” would be released in stage two of the Shalit deal.
Yitzchak Moaz, whose daughter Tehilla was killed in the Sbarro restaurant suicide explosion in 2001, said Sunday morning that among the ”car thieves” are Osama Saleh, who was convicted of helping establish a terrorist cell to kidnap Arabs suspected of collaborating with Israel.
He also was found guilty and sentenced for plotting to carry out shooting attacks on IDF soldiers. His terrorist cell possessed two revolvers and a semi-automatic rifle when it was arrested.
Another hard-core terrorist to be freed is Mahmoud Hasham Ahmed Khalef, a member of the Fatah faction’s Tanzim terrorist unit. Fatah is headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Khalef was convicted of shooting at soldiers and civilians in the Ramallah area, which is near Beit El, Ofra and Psgaot as well as IDF and Border Police bases.
Several terrorists, such as Faras Rian Hassan, were serving sentences that were not to end until 2019.
The High Court has rejected petitions to delay or cancel the release scheduled for Sunday, and the Almagor terrroist victims group has submitted an additonal petition to the court, which is expected to reject it.
The second group of 550 Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists due to be freed in the second phase of the deal that led to the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit are scheduled for release today (Sunday).
On Thursday, the soon-to-be freed terrorists were interviewed and checked by doctors. This morning they are to be released to Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria via the Beitunia checkpoint, or to Gaza.
Among the group, none of whom are members of Hamas and which the government has in the past insisted does not include any with “blood on their hands,” are 43 security prisoners — who according to the Almagor Terror Victims’ Association do indeed meet that criteria.
Appeals against the release of this second group until their records can be examined more meticulously are set to be filed Sunday in the Supreme Court by the family members of those they have harmed.
The Shurat HaDin legal rights group has already filed its petition with the Supreme Court, requesting a delay in the release of the group, which comprises the other half of the 1,027 terrorists who are to be freed in the deal.
There was time enough “to conduct this arrangement in a democratic manner and not keep information hidden,” the group said in its petition, filed by attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner. “In a proper democracy citizens have the right to bring their concerns to the authorities in order to affect the decision.”
The names of the terrorists to be released were made public last week on Wednesday, barely allowing time for attorneys and families to prepare petitions and file objections, let alone be heard in court.
Several of the terrorists being released were involved in the killing of wounding of U.S. citizens during a 2002 terrorist attack on King George Street in Jerusalem.
Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas-allied terrorists in a raid near the Kerem Shalom Crossing across the border from Gaza on June 25, 2006. During the attack, another IDF soldier was killed and several others were badly wounded, as Gilad Shalit was dragged away into a smugglers’ tunnel dug near the border especially for the purpose.
The Almagor Terror Victims’ group on Sunday asked Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz to attempt to prevent the release of a number of terrorists who were directly involved in terror attacks in which Jews were killed. The terrorists are to be released as part of the deal that brough Gilad Shalit home.
Among the terrorists to be released is Osama Salam Salah Abu Salah, who conspired to kidnap Israelis and to shoot at IDF soldiers. Salah’s gang was found to have obtained weapons and was actively planning attacks. Also to be released is Ahmed Halaf, a member of the Tanzim terror gang who was involved in a shooting attack on an IDF base, and in a shooting attack on the town of Psagot. Others are guilty of similar crimes. Almagor has asked Hershkowitz to marshal other ministers and halt the release of the terrorists, set for Sunday morning.
The Almagor Terror Victims’ Association will file an appeal with the Supreme Court on Sunday against the release of terrorists as part of the second phase of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal. One of the appellants is Yitzchak Maoz, whose daughter Tehila was murdered in the suicide attack at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in 2001.
Israel agreed to release 1,026 terrorists in exchange for Shalit, who was returned by Hamas in October, after five and a half years in captivity. 477 terrorists were released at that time, in the first stage of the deal.
Almagor chairman Meir Indor told Arutz Sheva on Saturday evening that some of the terrorists being released in the second phase are “heavy terrorists”, some of whom have served only thirty percent of their sentences.
“It is unreasonable and disproportionate that terrorists with only three months left to serve will remain in prison and terrorists who have many years left will be freed just because they belong to Fatah,” said Indor.
Indor said that the organization has written a letter to the Israeli government in which it urges it “to replace the more dangerous terrorists with ones who are less dangerous.” He added that Cabinet members were surprised to hear the organization’s arguments regarding the second phase of the deal.
“We ask you to carefully review our request to check each terrorist and examine whether it would not be appropriate to replace him with a terrorist whose actions are less severe and whose time in prison is set to end shortly,” the organization wrote in the letter.
“If you have a terrorist who is not due to be released for another five years and there is a terrorist with half a year left, you should release the terrorist with the shorter time even if he belongs to the organization that you do not wish to honor,” added the organization.
“Preserving the justice system is what needs to stand before your eyes, and not political considerations and preferring one organization over the other. According to our information, the government decided not to release terrorist belonging to Hamas so that Fatah and the Palestinian Authority will receive their share of terrorists. Under these circumstances the Israeli government preferred to release Fatah terrorists who still have several years left in prison over Hamas terrorists whose sentence will end in six months.”
Almagor also asked the government not to release 212 terrorists who have not served 70% of their sentence. “We are not giving up the very struggle against the release of terrorists, but if you decide to release terrorists, we ask that you not release such severe cases and reexamine the list.”
On Wednesday, the Israel Prison Service (IPS) uploaded the list of prisoners designated to be released in the second stage of the Gilad Shalit deal to its website.
Meanwhile, the Shurat HaDin legal rights group filed a petition with the High Court requesting that the release be postponed, in order to allow relatives of individuals harmed by the terrorists to express their opinions.
The petition by Shurat HaDin, filed by Attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, says that now that Shalit has been released, there was time enough “to conduct this arrangement in a democratic manner and not keep information hidden. In a proper democracy citizens have the right to bring their concerns to the authorities in order to affect the decision.”
