Following public appeals to President Isaac Herzog and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the Justice Ministry and President's Residence are examining the possibility of granting commutations and pardons to Jewish security prisoners convicted of nationalist offenses against Palestinians. This review comes as Palestinian prisoners are being released as part of the hostage return agreement, Israel Hayom has learned.
Initial examinations have included a working meeting and the exchange of lists containing approximately 20 Jewish prisoners between the pardons departments at the Justice Ministry and the President's Office.
The review follows appeals from Knesset members, rabbis, political activists, and right-wing organizations to the justice minister and president. These groups requested creating what they termed "balance and equality" by releasing Jewish security prisoners in parallel with the Palestinian prisoner releases occurring under the agreement to return the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The clemency requests and lists encompass about 20 prisoners, but sources said the President's Office and Justice Ministry plan to examine each case individually. The assessment indicates that even if sentence commutations or pardons are granted, they would only be implemented after prisoners express remorse and receive favorable security opinions from the Shin Bet.
Similar actions have precedent. In 1999, on the recommendation of then-Justice Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, President Ezer Weizman reduced the sentences of seven Jewish security prisoners. Those receiving reductions included Ami Popper, Yoram Shkolnik, and the Kahalani brothers – all convicted of nationalist murder or attempted murder against Palestinians.
Hanegbi stated at the time, "When easing and releasing sentences imposed on Arab prisoners, we cannot ignore the Jewish prisoners who committed the 'terrible acts' following the severe confrontation between us and the Palestinians."
Knesset member Naama Lazimi from the Labor party criticized the president for considering such a move, saying: "In the name of 'sacred balance' the president has officially recognized the phenomenon of Jewish terror for the first time, and in the same breath gave support and backing to this phenomenon. This is a dangerous legitimization that undermines the rule of law and morality and works against stateliness and the institution of the presidency."
Her party colleague, Knesset member Gilad Kariv, echoed these concerns: "It's not enough that this failed and dangerous government allowed murderous and cursed terror organizations to slaughter Israelis, now they want to release Jewish terrorists into Israeli society. Security? Governance? A government of blood."
Knesset member Itamar Ben Gvir from the Otzma Yehudit party offered a different perspective: "Nothing will whitewash the reckless surrender deal signed by the Israeli government, which includes releasing thousands of murderous terrorists from prisons, a dramatic increase in allowing logistical aid to Hamas, and IDF forces withdrawing from the vast majority of the Gaza Strip – which allows Hamas to rebuild itself. All this while the government has complete American backing to rain hell on Hamas if all our hostages are not released immediately."
"I call on the prime minister and ministers to come to their senses and return immediately to a total war of annihilation against Hamas. Only this way will we return all our hostages without abandoning state security at outrageous prices, and only this way will we achieve complete victory," Ben Gvir added.
