'Total chaos.' Katz
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Rallying for Shalit
Photo: Gil Yohanan
National Union: Prisoner release 'crime against Jewish nation'
'Olmert lacks legal, moral authority to free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit,' Yaakov Katz says, 'he must freeze all negotiations with Hamas until next government is established
The National Union party is set to hold an "emergency meeting" on Tuesday with bereaved families and relatives of terror attack victims to discuss the burgeoning prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
Party Chairman Yaakov Katz called the government's plan to release about a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit "a crime against the Jewish nation," adding that outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert lacks the legal and moral authority to carry out such a move and must freeze all negotiations with the Islamist group until the next government is established.
Still Waiting
Nearing decision on Gilad Shalit: Olmert holds long meeting with Shin Bet chief ahead of discussion on truce agreement in Gaza. Senior defense officials optimistic over chances to secure captive's release, tells Ynet Hamas pressured to reach comprehensive deal with Israel, fears new government
Katz told Ynet he plans to meet with other party heads and garnet their support for the campaign against the release of terrorists "with Jewish blood on their hands."
"We are talking about freeing arch-terrorists who will continue to murder; this (prisoner exchange) will encourage the (terror groups) to carry out more kidnappings and murders and wage new wars; this will lead to total chaos," he said.
"During the War of Attrition Israeli soldiers were held in Egyptian captivity for four years, but Israel did not give in to domestic or external pressures."
The National Union head continued to assail Olmert, saying "until now his plan to release terrorists has been obstructed by the Shin Bet, the IDF and the Mossad, but now, as his tenure is coming to a close and the legal proceedings against him are about to start, he is ignoring the security establishment's opinion," he said.
Ahiya Raved contributed to the report
