From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Bill to allow Israel to hold terrorists’ bodies clears first hurdle
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe Knesset plenum gives preliminary approval to a bill allowing Israel to hold the bodies of terrorists rather than return them to their families, after the High Court of Justice had ruled that the practice cannot continue without a law explicitly permitting it.
The proposal by Jewish Home MK Bezalel Smotrich and Likud MK Anat Berko passes its preliminary reading in the Knesset with 62 lawmakers voting for it, 21 opposing it and 3 abstaining.
The bill would grant a police district commander authority to set conditions for returning the body of a terrorist to their family, if the commander determines that there is reason to fear a terror attack might be committed, lives might be at risk or the funeral will be used as a platform to praise terror attacks.
The Times of Israel Community.