“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” (Proverbs 21:15)
Last Sunday saw a landmark bill pass Israel’s Knesset Committee for Legislation to issue non-negotiable life sentences for terrorist prisoners.
“Most countries will not negotiate with murderers and kidnappers,” said Jewish Home parliamentarian Ayelet Shaked who pitched the bill forward in December. “Murderers and terrorists must know that they will not be released—this is a significant deterrent against terrorism.”
The bill—if passed into law—would modify the 1964 Basic Law of the President of the State, which allows the standing president to pardon criminals.
These modifications would permit judges ruling over cases of high-crime to equip their sentences with wording that would lock out the possibility of future pardons.
“Extreme cases will be denied the right to pardon, so that murderers cannot generally become a tool for future negotiations,” Shaked said last December. (Israel National News)
Ayelet Shaked was elected as member of the Knesset for the Jewish Home in the 2013 Knesset elections.
Not all Israelis are behind the bill. Some fear that Israel would have no bargaining chips in negotiating the release of abducted soldiers.
When proposed, the bill also claimed the support of the Kadima and HaTnua parties; however, Tzipi Livni, founder of HaTnua, has countered her party’s stance.
“Justice Minister Tzipi Livni announced that she will oppose the law because it will hurt the ability of future governments to maneuver,” Economics Minister Naftali Bennett said in response. “Tzipi—that is the goal of this bill—to disconnect the release of terrorists from diplomatic issues.” (Israel National News)
Bennett has committed his party to move the bill through the three upcoming Knesset readings that are required to confirm it as law. (St. Louis Jewish Light)
“Killers should die in prison and not celebrate at home,” Bennett said in a Facebook post. “Today, the State of Israel is sending a new message on the war on terror and her moral obligation to the bereaved families.”
“You are my God. My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.” (Psalm 31:14–15)
Israeli Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni (middle) chats with the 50th Munich Security Conference 2014 panel on “The Middle East Peace Process”. With her, from the left, are Martin Indyk, United States Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations; Saeb Erekat, PA Head of the Palestinian Negotiation Steering and Monitoring Committee; Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and moderator Philip Stephens, associate editor of the Financial Times.
