On Tuesday, May 15 the Israeli Prison Service parole board met and discussed reducing the prison sentences of Bat Ayin Underground members Ofer Gamliel and Shlomi Dvir by one third. The decision on Gamiel’s release has been postponed until the end of the month. The deliberation on Dvir’s case has been postponed by six months following the opinion of the head of the GSS who opposed Dvir’s release based on the opinion of the Attorney General, Yehuda Weinstein. Previously the head of the GSS and other high-ranking members of the GSS had given an assurance that the GSS does not oppose the release of Gamliel and Dvir. Among others, the outgoing Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Rabbi Avichai Ronski had received the assurance.
Honenu’s response to the postponement: Presently the government and GSS are submitting to the demands of imprisoned terrorists. The government is busy with gestures toward murderers and their allies even though IDF soldiers risked their lives in order to capture them.
Unfortunately, the head of the GSS, following the advice of Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein decided to change his opinion at the last moment and oppose the release of Ofer Gamliel and Shlomi Dvir. The desperation of Jews suffering under the strong arm of the establishment reaches the Heavens. This discrimination is reminiscent of the dark days in Jewish history.
Update: The deliberation on Ofer Gamliel’s release was subsequently postponed until February 2013.