Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday sent a letter to AG Avichai Mandelblit, asking for his opinion on the possibility of expelling to the Gaza Strip the families of terrorists who themselves supported acts of terrorism.
“Many terrorism acts in recent months have been committed by terrorists who were profiled as ‘lone attacker,'” Netanyahu wrote the AG. “these attackers sometimes come from families that aid and abet them in their activities.”
“I’m asking for your legal opinion regarding the possibility of establishing a procedure for expelling to the Gaza Strip families that support terrorism,” the PM wrote further. “I believe using this device would bring about a significant reduction in acts of terrorr against the State of Israel, its citizens and residents.”
Over the past few weeks, a few cabinet ministers have proposed the possibility of expelling family members of terrorists to Gaza. According to Army Radio, the AG recently rejected the idea, saying it contradicts both Israeli and International Law.
At least one senior cabinet member, Transport Minister Israel Katz (Likud), has attacked the AG on his view, telling an interviewer that, “We’re having a temporary problem with the legal system, but we must add the step of expelling terrorists’ families to deter attackers who are minors.” Katz endorsed Netanyahu’s letter to Mandelblit.
Katz said he intends to submit a bill next week regarding the expulsion of terrorists’ families to Gaza or to Syria. He noted that “should the bill receive the government’s support, the process should be quick. As I said in the past, we’ll change the law and deal with international pressure.”
Last week, Israel’s Channel 2 News reported that AG Mandelblit objected to demolishing the home of the terrorist who murdered Jacob and Nathaniel Litman near Otniel in Judea and Samaria, because the murderer’s father was the one who turned him in. After a lengthy debate, the cabinet accepted the AG’s view that families that turn in their terrorist members would be exempt from demolition, in the hope that this would serve as an incentive to other families in the future.
The cabinet also adopted the AG’s view that in cases where a terrorist could not be charged with murder, since in Israeli Law a murder charge requires premeditation and/or intent — in such cases the family’s home would only be sealed but not demolished.
