Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis promises not to cave to US demands that Israel release terrorists as a goodwill gesture to the PA.
By YUVAL BAGNO, THE POST CORRESPONDENTIDF soldiers arrest Palestinian 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
After the Knesset discussed America's demand that Israel release terrorists as a good will gesture to the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday, Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis promised that there is no government decision to release the terrorists and that the government is against any such release.He called for the return to peace talks without pre-conditions while emphasizing that the West Bank is not conquered territory but the birthright of the Jewish nation.Knesset MK Orit Struk from the Bayit Yehudi party said, "the demand is shocking, not just because the peace talks must begin without preconditions, and not just because of the danger that these terrorists will return to terrorist activity once they are released, but because the release of terrorists is an energizing shot of encouragement to terror and terrorists.""Every release like this," she continued, "causes potential terrorists to make the decision to become one, because they see that they will be given support."Struk added, "is the America that is asking Israel to release terrorists the same America that has carried the flag in the struggle against terrorism and who recently experienced the hands of terror in their house?!"Amongst the terrorists that the US is demanding Israel release, are those who burned Amnon Pomerantz alive in his car in 1990, the terrorists who murdered tractor driver Yigal Vahknin in 1993, the terrorist who murdered 39-year-old Gush Katif resident Shaya Deutch in 1993, the terrorists who burned to their deaths Rachel Weiss and her three children; Ephraim, Netanel and Raphael as well as soldier David Delarosa who tried to save them and the terrorist who murdered Professor Menachem Stern in the Valley of the Cross (in Jerusalem) while he was on his way to Hebrew University.The Knesset agreed that the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee should look into the details of the subject more closely.
