Thousands march in memory of slain Afula girl
Thousands demonstrate in Afula in memory of Shelly Dadon, found dead in possible terror attack nine days ago; protesters called for harsher sentences for murders; few arrested for harassing Arabs after march dispersed.
Some 2,000 people marched in Afula in memory of Shelly Dadon, an Israeli girl found dead nine days ago. The police have not ruled out the possibility that her murder was nationalistically motivated.
The demonstrators called for the punishment of those behind the murder and held signs that read "Shelly's blood is our blood", "Netanayhu wake up" and "Shelly was murdered and the nations is silent."
Most of the protesters wore red gloves to symbolize murderers with blood on their hand – a reference to terrorists and the assumption that nationalistic motives are behind the Dadon death.
At the end of the demonstration, a number of youths were arrested for harassing local Arabs.
Dadon, 19 years-old from Afula, was murdered last Thursday on her way to a job interview. Her body was found with multiple stab wounds in an empty parking lot near the Ramat Gabriel industrial area in MigDal HaEmek.
Related stories:
- 'Dramatic development' in investigation of Shelly Dadon's murder
- Shin Bet search for killer in suspected terror attack
- Murder of 20-year-old raises suspicion of nationalistic motive
One of the protest's organizers said the demonstration came together to honor Dadon's memory and raise awareness for the need for harsher sentences for terrorists, unlike the current state of affairs, in which, he claimed, terrorists are allowed to go unpunished.
At the beginning of last week Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch met with the Dadon family, and said "There's been a lot of progress in the investigation and you could say the progress is dramatic. Police and Shin Bet will arrest the low life murderers soon."
Dadon's father also said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the family and updated them on developments in the investigation.
Meanwhile, the government minister will vote on a new bill that would make the release of prisoners convicted of murder – namely terrorist – from being freed, as was the case in the recent US-sponsored peace talks, which saw a large group of pre-Oslo Palestinian prisoners go free.
According to the proposed bill, when a killer is sentenced to life in prison, the judge will be allowed to stipulate that in light of the severity of their crime, the president will not be allowed to reduce their sentence or pardon them.
Pardoning prisoners is one of the sole prerogatives enjoyed by the Israeli president, a largely symbolic position.
The bill does not confine itself solely to security prisoners, and according to the bill, it could also include the murder of children, or other horrendous crimes.
According to initial political assessments, most of the Likud ministers will support the bill as will the Yisrael Beiteinu ministers. It is unclear how the Yesh Atid will vote.
Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report
