With diplomatic talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) expected to resume in the near future, officials in the Bayit Yehudi party are already signaling that oppose an additional good will prisoner release by Israel as is being sought by the United States and the PA. According to a Maariv report quoting party officials, it makes no difference if the terrorists slated for release “have blood on their hands or not.”

During a remembrance ceremony held by the Almagor terror victims association Deputy Minister of Religious Services (Bayit Yehudi) Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan stated “Israel must not release terrorists.”

“Soldiers are placed in danger towards making certain the elderly; children and other innocent persons are not harmed while the terrorists are willing to strike out against the elderly, women and children without mercy.”

Ben-Dahan made a reference to Adele Biton, who was critically injured in a rock-throwing attack, calling upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to release terrorists regardless of their having or not having blood on their hands. The deputy minister explained that those who do not have blood on their hands planned to strike out but were apprehended in time, adding his party will oppose any such prisoner release. He added “during a period of negotiations there are negotiations and nothing else, including a good will prisoner release.”

Maariv adds that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has rejected the Washington Plan again when it was recently presented by visiting US Secretary of State Johan Kerry. That plan calls for an international force headed by the USA stationed in PA areas. Israel fears the force will be incapable of preventing arms from being smuggled from Jordan into the PA state. Netanyahu speaks of an interim period of no less than forty years in which the IDF will maintain its position along the Jordanian border and Israel will not rely on an international force. One official is quoted by Maariv as adding the weapons smuggled in by Hamas may also be used against the PA in Ramallah and therefore the Israeli presence along the border is to the PA’s advantage too.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)