55 Israeli Coalition Lawmakers Urge Herzog To Pardon Jewish Security Prisoners Amid Ceasefire Releases

Fifty-five Israeli coalition members, including ministers and lawmakers from parties such as Otzma Yehudit, Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Religious Zionism, have signed a letter urging President Isaac Herzog to pardon or release Jewish security prisoners. This move follows the recent release of thousands of Palestinian terrorists as part of a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. The letter, led by MK Limor Son Har-Melech and supported by the right-wing legal aid group Honenu, highlights a perceived double standard in releasing Palestinian prisoners while Jewish prisoners remain incarcerated, despite some of them having served long sentences. Among the prisoners discussed is Ami Popper, convicted of killing seven Palestinians in 1990, whose sentence Herzog is reportedly considering commuting. The signatories emphasize that, while they do not support the crimes committed by these prisoners, many were convicted under complex circumstances and have not returned to terrorism, unlike some released Palestinian terrorists. The coalition members urge the president to act immediately to correct what they describe as an injustice and to bring parity to prisoner releases.