'Peres barely in office – already releasing murderers'

Brother of Jewish teenager murdered 24 years ago slams newly elected president for saying he would release men convicted of brutal killing. Arab MK welcomes move, says Peres must now also release killer of Israeli girl Hanit Kikos

Roee Mendel
Published: 08.29.07, 01:51 / Israel News

"Peres hasn't even warmed the presidential seat and already he is busy releasing the vile men who murdered my brother," said Amnon Katz on Tuesday evening following President Shimon Peres'

The five are currently serving life sentences for the murder. Two of them were also convicted of murdering female Israeli soldier Daphna Carmon in 1987 and are serving longer sentences. Peres signed off on the decision along with Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann after receiving the recommendation of a statutory committee. The convicts will now be allowed to ask the parole board to reduce their sentences by a third.

Katz said the decision was capitulation to intense political pressure. "The statutory committee was appointed by the justice minister, he chose who would be on it and it seems that he had already decided what he wanted their conclusion to be.

All of the committee's work was kept quiet so that none of those who would oppose it would say anything. These are the same leftists who for years worked tirelessly to try and release these murderers through the courts; they portrayed them in the media as pitiful men and pushed for a retrial," he said.

MK el-Sana: I urged Peres to release them

The attorney representing the five men, Avigdor Feldman, welcomed Peres' decision and said he still believed his clients were innocent despite the result of the retrial. "There has never been any objective evidence in this case other than their confessions, which don't add up, said Feldman.

MK Taleb el-Sana (United Arab List – Ta'al), who in his last meeting with Peres urged him to reduce the five's sentence, also said he was pleased with the decision. El-Sana issued a statement saying that during his meeting with Peres he also asked him to pardon Suliman al-Abid, who was convicted of the rape and murder of 16-year-old teenager Hanit Kikus in 1993.

Men convicted again in 1999 retrial

Danny Katz was murdered in December 1983 after leaving his home in one of Haifa's upscale neighborhoods on his way to visit a friend. His body was found four days later in a cave near the Israeli Arab village of Sachnin. In 1985 the Haifa District Court sentenced Ahmed Kuzli, Samir Janama, Fathi Janama, Ali Janim and Aatef Sabihi of the kidnapping and murder of Katz based on their confessions.

Peres the Palestinian Pimp, proves once again that Jewish blood to him is cheap.

This case proves the need for the death penalty for terrorism if these terrorist scum were executed by the State after their first trial the Jewish people would not be placed at risk again by these terrorist scum.

So now we are going to let the murderers of three Jews go free, why?

MK Taleb el-Sana (United Arab List – Ta'al) shows once again that we can't trust a single Arab member of Knesset to put the general good of the Jewish people ahead of their desire to destroy Israel. It is time to be honest and look at the Arab members of Knesset and admit that they are marching in lock step with Hamas and Fatah.

Before any body jumps on the racist band wagon, I have no problem with Arabs being in the Knesset to represent their communities I just wish that they could be on the same page when it comes to Israels security and future.