Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vetoed the promotion of a bipartisan bill that prohibits the return of the bodies of terrorists to their families or the terrorist organizations to which they belonged, according to a report by “Israel Hayom.”
The bill sought to establish that those killed after or while committing a terrorist act would be buried in a cemetery for enemy martyrs in Israel. Also, the law leaves discretion to the Prime Minister to decide to return bodies under special considerations.
MK Eliyahu Ravivo of the Likud, who submitted the bill, requested that it be submitted for approval by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation this coming Sunday, in order to submit it for preliminary reading next Wednesday. The law was already on the agenda of the Committee of Ministers, but in light of Galant's objection, who clearly stated that he strongly opposes the proposal, MK Ravivo withdrew the bill from the committee and it will not be promoted.
Andy Vermaut shares:Gallant nixes bill barring return of terrorist remains: … prohibit the transfer of terrorists’ remains to their … prevent… Thank you. #AndyVermautFightsTerrorismEveryDay #TerroristsAreNeverReligiousOrSpiritualBeings #StopTheHateNow https://t.co/qjRdeGhLnP pic.twitter.com/jQ8zjZGmew
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This is a proposal that received broad support in the coalition and is also supported by certain members of the opposition. In the previous Knesset, an identical bill was submitted by Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich and all members of the Religious Zionist Party. In the current Knesset, the same bill was also submitted by opposition members MK Ze'ev Elkin and MK Sharan Hashakal from the opposition.
The law these MKs are trying to promote is intended to prevent the terrorist burial ceremonies that are often held by terrorist organizations and which may incite revenge attacks or imitation attacks of the victim who was killed.
The explanatory notes to the law state: "In recent years, we have witnessed a growing phenomenon in which, after terrorist attacks, expressions of support, encouragement, or identification with the act of terrorism, the threat, the organization to which he belonged, or the ideology in whose name he committed the act of terrorism are heard. In particular, this is expressed during the burial rites of dangers more than once there have been cases where banners were hoisted, chants and speeches were heard expressing support for the attack that was carried out or calling for the execution of additional acts of terrorism.
With Gallant's authorization: Israel continues to return terrorists' bodies https://t.co/VzB1h9lEJ7
— Arutz Sheva Articles (@israelnatnews) May 7, 2023
The Defense Minister's office responded after Galant’s objection: "The bodies of terrorists do not constitute an asset that affects the terrorist organizations in prisoner and missing person transactions, except in exceptional cases related to Hamas terrorists. We prepare for these cases, and therefore there is no need for this law.”
