After the vote on the bill was delayed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the past, the cabinet on Sunday 10 Sivan passed the No Parole Bill sponsored by MK (Bayit Yehudi) Ayelet Shaked in a 15 to 6 vote. The session was reportedly a stormy one as the government finally approved a bill that permits the courts to sentence terrorists and premeditated murders to life imprisonment without a chance of parole or presidential pardon. Ministers from Likud, Yisrael Beitenu and Bayit Yehudi supported the bill while ministers from The Movement and Yesh Atid opposed it.

One of the opponents was Minister (Yesh Atid) Yaakov Peri, a former director of the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet). He feels the law ties the hands of the government and severely complicates reaching a future peace agreement with the PA. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein announced he agrees with Peri and opposes the law.

A request by Housing Minister Uri Ariel, supported by Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon was accepted, that the law will also apply to military courts throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

Bayit Yehudi leader Minister of the Economy Naftali Bennett stated the passing of the law brings an end to the revolving door policy permitting murders to be freed in deals and by presidential pardons. Bennett added it was a most appropriate and “Zionist response” to the recent announcement of a coalition PA (Palestinian Authority) government that now includes Hamas.

The bill must now be passed in Knesset to become law.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)