Proposal to Deport Terrorists Gets Broad Support

YERUSHALAYIM

The high-profile savagery of Tuesday’s terror attacks has moved the Israeli government toward stronger measures, including a multi-party bill to deport terrorists’ family members, brought forward on Wednesday.

Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud), a leading advocate of expulsion, called the bill “a first-rate act of deterrence.”

“Everyone must understand that we are at the height of a war against ISIS-style terrorist attacks by radical Islam,” Katz said. “This is terrorism by individuals, about which we do not have additional intelligence, and therefore, we need to take additional deterrent and preventative steps.”

Katz also urged the Attorney-General to cooperate and allow it to be passed into law quickly.

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit’s objection was voiced recently that removing Palestinian terrorists’ families from Yehuda and Shomron to Gaza violates Israeli and international law and could be used against Israel at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Support from coalition parties as well as Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beitenu, indicate good prospects for passage, Katz added.

The bill states that family members of a terrorist who helped commit the act of terror or knew about it in advance could lose their permanent residence status, if they are residents of sovereign Israel, including eastern Yerushalayim, or be deported from Yehuda and Shomron.

At a security cabinet meeting Tuesday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and senior officials announced a series of responses to Tuesday’s terror spree. Among the operative decisions: A cut in the number of work permits to be issued to Palestinians, and a reinforcement of the security fence, especially in the Yerushalayim and south Chevron Hills areas.

“We are undertaking other measures, such as implementing new laws and regulations to prevent illegal Arabs from entering Israel,” added Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon. “We are not asleep at the wheel, but if someone thinks we can wave our hand and end terror – they are mistaken,” asserting that there are no easy solutions available.

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