In the shadow of the approval in first reading of a bill proposing death penalty for terrorists, a group of former senior officials from the Shin Bet and civil service sent a letter to MK Zvika Fogel (Jewish Power), who serves as chairman of the National Security Committee in the Knesset. The officials, including two former Shin Bet chiefs, emphasized among other things that from the experience gathered in the organization, the death penalty is not expected to deter terrorists at all, and may also weaken Israel's standing in the world. Among the Shin Bet seniors who signed the letter are former Shin Bet chiefs Ami Ayalon and Carmi Gillon, former division head in the organization and former acting Shin Bet chief Aryeh Pelman. Also signed are Major General (Ret.) Yaakov Or, former supervisor of defense system review in the State Comptroller's Office, former Deputy Attorney General Malkiel Blass, former legal advisor to the defense establishment Ahaz Ben Ari, former Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber and others.