Religious Zionism’s Rothman submits bill to prevent Hamas terrorists having public defenders

Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman submits a bill to the Knesset which would prevent public defenders from representing Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7 atrocities.

Rothman, who heads the powerful Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, says that the Public Defender’s Office is designed to give “legal defense to the weak in the country” and is staffed by civilians, and therefore not suitable to provide a legal representation to terrorists.

“[It] cannot represent terrorists and strongly defend them in court on a moral level,” says Rothman.

“There is no justification whatsoever for the State of Israel to fund, and for the Public Defender’s office to be tarnished with, representing these despicable Nukhba terrorist enemies. There is no justification for their victims to pay for their legal defense,” says the MK.

Israel Prison Service commissioner Katy Perry said on October 17 that Israel was holding some 118 “unlawful combatants” from Gaza, in reference to the Hamas terrorists captured on and after October 7, although the current figure is not available.