Ben-Gvir proposes bill to publish database of released terrorists

The proposed bill would allow the publishing of a database of released terrorists, listing their names, photos, and crimes, with Ben-Gvir citing security concerns amid ongoing prisoner exchanges.

 Itamar Ben-Gvir being interviewed by Maariv, January 29, 2025. (photo credit: Screenshot/Maariv)
Itamar Ben-Gvir being interviewed by Maariv, January 29, 2025.
(photo credit: Screenshot/Maariv)

Otzma Yehudit chair MK Itamar Ben-Gvir and MK Zvika Fogel submitted a bill in Knesset on Wednesday which would require a database of security prisoners and terrorists released from prison, including their names, photographs, and the list of offenses they are charged with, to be published on the National Security Ministry's website.

This is the first bill proposed by Ben-Gvir as an opposition member of the Knesset since he, along with the other Otzma Yehudit MKs, resigned from the government.

Ben-Gvir stated that "we will continue to fight terrorism from the opposition, as we pledged."

"We submitted an important bill that will allow every citizen to know who the terrorists who are being released are, what their crimes are, and what risk they may pose," he added.

"It is unacceptable that those who harmed Israeli citizens can return to a normal life without the public being informed. The security of Israel’s citizens must come above all else," Ben-Gvir concluded.

People gather near a bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners after they were released from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 25, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ALI SAWAFTA)Enlrage image
People gather near a bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners after they were released from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, January 25, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ALI SAWAFTA)

Implementation of the bill

The proposed bill would also permit the Israel Prison Service (IPS) Commissioner, currently Kobi Yaakobi, entitlement to exclude certain details from publication if the information is deemed not necessary for civilian protection.

The National Security Minister would be responsible for implementing the law and issuing regulations for implementing the proposed database.

This comes amid the ongoing release of thousands of Palestinian terrorists, mostly those linked with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, from Israeli prisons in exchange for the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. These ongoing prisoner releases have faced heavy criticism from right-wing and far-right factions in Israeli politics and society.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report