While the Israel Prison Service transported busloads of Palestinian inmates to the Ketziot and Hasharon prisons ahead of their release, families who lost loved ones in terror attacks continued to petition the nation's courts, seeking to derail the deal that is about to set terrorists free.
The prisoner swap agreement, which Israel signed with Hamas, calls for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
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Surviving members of the Schijveschuurder family, who lost five relatives in a 2001 suicide bombing of a Jerusalem Sbarro branch, have filed a petition with the High Court of Justice to prevent the release of Ahlam Tamimi, an accomplice who drove the terrorist to the scene of the attack.
"Asked whether she regrets the act, Ahlam Tamimi told an Israeli reporter that she was saddened that she could not kill more than 15 Jews," the petition said.
Ahlam Tamimi (Photo: Dan Balilty)
Moreover, the family demanded the State "set clear criteria for the release of security inmates included in the capitulation deal."
"Tamimi, a cold-blooded killer, continues to tell anyone who would listen that she will return to terrorism, and that her release puts Jews in danger both in Israel and abroad," the family added. "The decision to free her is extremely unreasonable. The government does not have the legitimacy to release murder convicts who are sentenced to life terms."
Shvuel Schijveschuurder, whose parents and siblings were killed in the bombing, was arrested on Thursday for vandalizing a memorial for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in an act of reprisal against the impending prisoner swap.
'Deal brings Israel to its knees'
Also on Sunday, Ronit Tamari, a Jerusalem resident, petitioned the High Court to remove the 29 prisoners from the list of convicts who are to be freed in the deal. Among the 29 are Abed Amro, a member of the terrorist cell that was behind a bombing of Jerusalem's Café Hillel in 2003, and Jihad Yaghmur, who is responsible for Nachshon Wachsman's abduction and murder.
Prisoners bussed south ahead of release (Photo: Hagay Aharon)
Tamari, a self-described "concerned citizen," slammed the government for reckless behavior.
"The release of 1,027 terrorists, most of whom are the most abominable killers the justice system has ever seen, is disproportionate," she wrote. "This deal brings Israel to its knees before an extremist terror organization. It means a defeat for Israel in its war on terror."
Tamari demanded the government explain why it decided to release Palestinian terrorists "with much blood on their hands," and how it intends to protect its citizens from acts of terror perpetrated by the convicted murderers.
Ynet has learned that the High Court of Justice has scheduled a hearing for Monday to discuss the Almagor Terror Victims Association's petition to annul the Shalit deal. The organization has also asked the court to extend the period of time that the Justice Ministry has given the public to voice their objections to the deal.
Protest against deal in front of president's home (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The petition is to be examined by a panel of three judges.
Families sue terrorists
Meanwhile, families of victims of a Haifa bus bombing filed a suit with the Haifa District Court against three men involved in the terror attack, who are set to be released as part of the Shalit deal. The Kerman and Tzur families are motioning for a hold-departure order as well as NIS 2.25 (roughly $610,000) million in compensation.
Tal Kerman, 18 and Asaf Tzur, 17 were killed in a suicide bombing on the 37 bus line in Haifa in 2003. A total of 17 people were killed in the attack and dozens were wounded. The three men behind the attack were sentenced to 17 consecutive life sentences.
Ron Kerman and Yossi Tzur, the fathers of the two victims, filed a damages claim against the planners of the attack as well as a motion for a hold-departure order. The damages claim stated that the deaths left the families with deep mental scars to the point of disability.
The bereaved families stressed that after the terrorists are released they will no longer be able to sue them or even trace them. "They are up for release solely because their friends abducted Shalit who served as a bargaining chip," the claim stated.
Yossi Tzur said Sunday that the families have yet to seek legal action against the three as they did not believe they would be released so soon, and seeing as most such lawsuits fail to achieve anything.
Ahiya Raved contributed to the report
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