The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) will not pay for nose surgery for Asraa Jabas, a terrorist who was injured after trying to set fire to a gas canister in a car back in 2015, Israeli media reported Tuesday morning.
This was revealed in a letter to the family of police officer Moshe Chen, who was also injured in the 2015 attempted terror attack.
The IPS explained that the law obligates them to ensure prisoners are kept in proper conditions and maintain their health. The nose surgery, they said, was not of sufficient functional value in this regard, N12 reported.
Background
Jabas was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the terrorist attack, which injured herself and Chen.
In particular, Jabas suffered injuries to her face and hands. Already, the IPS had approved plastic surgery to repair her hands, twice. However, after the matter was appealed to the Supreme Court, the application was set to be reexamined.
Chen had petitioned Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev two weeks ago to not let Israeli taxpayer money be used to help treat a terrorist who caused him severe injury.
Chen's reaction
"MK Michal Waldiger and the police spokesperson updated me on the issue and it makes me very happy," Chen said in an interview with 103FM.
He described the injuries he received from the incident, specifically from post-trauma and knee pain.
"Disabled IDF veterans - properly recognized as such by the state - are not eligible for plastic surgery if it isn't strictly for medical reasons. Does it make any sense, then, that a terrorist who plots to hurt and kill us, should receive that service?" Chen said the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization chair told him.
He added to 103FM: "It makes sense to provide this service for life-saving situations, but for a cosmetic operation?"
This is a developing story.