National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Sunday informed Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of the revocation of former public security minister Omer Bar-Lev’s protocol allowing any MK to visit security prisoners.

Ben-Gvir is reverting to the prior protocol according to which only one MK from each party can visit security prisoners, in accordance with appropriate supervision of the visits.

The prior protocol was adopted in 2016 after former Balad MK Basel Ghattas was caught smuggling cell phones, SIM cards, and documents to Arab terrorists in Israeli prison, a crime for which he subsequently served two years in prison.

When Bar-Lev entered his position during the Bennett-Lapid government, he decided to change the protocol and allow all MKs to visit security prisoners – contrary to the opinion of the Shin Bet, which opposed the move.

“I believe that meetings of MKs with security prisoners take place in order to show support for those prisoners which may lead to incitement and the promotion of terrorist propaganda,” Ben-Gvir stated.

“The time has come to stop the pampering of the terrorists. I will not allow visits of support and incitement to terrorism during my watch,” Ben-Gvir asserted.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)