Israel MKs call for preventing jailed Arab MK Ghattas’ release

Israeli parliamentarians from the Yisrael Beiteinu political party have proposed a bill to prevent the reduction in the term handed to Palestinians charged with violating Israel’s Anti-Terrorism Law, local media outlets have reported.

The bill, proposed by Member of Knesset (MK) Oded Forer, is believed to be aimed primarily at preventing Arab MK Basil Ghattas, who was sentenced in 2016 for two years for smuggling mobiles to a Palestinian “security prisoner”, from being released early.

“It is inconceivable that convicted terrorists will enjoy a shortening of one-third. It is absurd and we must not leave it even to the discretion of parole boards,” head of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, said according to Arutz Sheva.

Read: Activists raise Israel’s Declaration of Independence during Knesset session

“I expect the coalition members to assist in the swift process of the bill and thus avoid the farce of watching Ghattas, too, be released early,” MK Oded Forer said.

Ghattas started serving his sentence in July 2017. Under current Israeli legislation, he could be released as early as November this  year.